# Marsh Sow-thistle (*Sonchus palustris*)

The Marsh Sow-thistle is a tall plant with bright yellow flowers that bloom in the summer. It grows in wet areas and is loved by many insects, especially bees!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Wetlands

![Marsh Sow-thistle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/555_Sonchus_palustris.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Carl Axel Magnus Lindman, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:555_Sonchus_palustris.jpg)

## Appearance

The Marsh Sow-thistle is a very tall plant with hollow, ribbed stems and deeply lobed, spiny-edged dark green leaves featuring distinctive ear-like bases. It produces clusters of bright yellow, dandelion-like flowers at its top, making it look like a giant, spikier dandelion.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Asterales
- **Family:** Asteraceae
- **Genus:** Sonchus

## Interesting facts

- Its fluffy seeds can float on the wind to find new marshy homes.
- Its leaves have spiny edges, but young ones are surprisingly edible for humans!
- This plant can grow taller than many adults, reaching up to 10 feet!
- When you break a stem, milky white 'plant milk' oozes out!

## Special abilities

- **Water Wurzel:** Marsh Sow-thistle has deep, fibrous roots that anchor it firmly, helping it survive in boggy, unstable marshy soils.
- **Sky Scraper:** This plant can grow incredibly tall, allowing it to reach for sunlight even when surrounded by other wetland plants.
- **Sap Secret:** Marsh Sow-thistle has a milky white sap that can deter hungry herbivores from taking a bite.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 50-300 cm
- **Spread:** 30-70 cm
- **Flower Size:** 2-3 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer to early autumn
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar and pollen
- **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Visits flowers for food
- **Eaten by:** [European rabbit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-rabbit) (*Oryctolagus cuniculus*) — Browses on leaves and stems
- **Eats:** Green peach aphid (*Myzus persicae*) — Feeds on plant sap

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
- [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Do not eat any plants without asking an adult first.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Marsh Sow-thistle?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Marsh Sow-thistle?

50-300 cm

### How wide does Marsh Sow-thistle spread?

30-70 cm

### How big are the flowers on Marsh Sow-thistle?

2-3 cm

### When does Marsh Sow-thistle bloom?

Summer to early autumn

### Is Marsh Sow-thistle edible?

Yes

### Is Marsh Sow-thistle toxic?

None

### What is Marsh Sow-thistle's lifecycle?

Perennial

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Marsh Sow-thistle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/marsh-sow-thistle)