# prickly sowthistle (*Sonchus asper*) Prickly sowthistle is a tall plant with spiky leaves and bright yellow flowers. It often grows in gardens and fields, and its flowers attract many bees and butterflies. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 10 - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![prickly sowthistle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/%28MHNT%29_Sonchus_asper_-_Plant_habit.jpg&width=800) Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%28MHNT%29_Sonchus_asper_-_Plant_habit.jpg) ## Appearance The prickly sowthistle has bright yellow, dandelion-like flowers and shiny, deeply lobed leaves with spiny margins. Its clasping leaf bases wrap around the stem, a distinct feature setting it apart from other similar weeds. When broken, it releases a milky white sap. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Sonchus ## Interesting facts - Its common name, 'sowthistle,' comes from pigs loving to eat this plant! - Its scientific name, 'asper,' means 'rough,' perfectly describing its spiky leaves. - The plant's milky sap was once used as a traditional folk remedy for warts! - Young prickly sowthistle leaves are a nutritious wild edible, even raw! ## Special abilities - **Spiny Armor:** Prickly sowthistle has sharp, spiky leaf edges that help it defend against hungry animals trying to take a bite. - **Milky Sap Defense:** Prickly sowthistle releases a sticky, bitter white sap when injured, which deters many insects and larger herbivores. - **Seed Gliders:** Prickly sowthistle produces seeds with feathery parachutes that allow them to float far away on the wind. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-150 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to Fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — gathers nectar and pollen - **Eaten by:** [European rabbit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-rabbit) (*Oryctolagus cuniculus*) — eats its leaves and stems - **Eaten by:** [Garden snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — grazes on its foliage ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [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. - [Spiky/Thorny](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spiky-thorny): Possessing sharp, pointed projections or spines on the body or surface. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always ask an adult before touching or picking any plants. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify prickly sowthistle? 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 prickly sowthistle? 30-150 cm ### How big are the flowers on prickly sowthistle? 1-2 cm ### When does prickly sowthistle bloom? Spring to Fall ### Is prickly sowthistle edible? Yes ### Is prickly sowthistle toxic? None ### What is prickly sowthistle's lifecycle? Annual ### How is prickly sowthistle pollinated? Insect ## Where to spot - [Alabama City Wall Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alabama-city-wall-street-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Cedarmere-Clayton Estates](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cedarmere-clayton-estates) — New York, US · Historic District - [Congress Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/congress-avenue-historic-district) — Texas, US · Historic District - [Crystal Cove Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/crystal-cove-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District - [Gadsden Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gadsden-downtown-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Hoffner Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hoffner-historic-district) — Ohio, US · Historic District [View all places to see prickly sowthistle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/prickly-sowthistle) ## 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*) --- Source: [Prickly Sowthistle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/prickly-sowthistle)