# sow thistles (*Sonchus*)

Sow thistles are bright yellow flowers that grow in many places. They have soft, fuzzy leaves and can be found in gardens and fields. These plants are fun to spot because they often attract butterflies!

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

![sow thistles](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Sonchus_February_2008-1.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sonchus_February_2008-1.jpg)

## Appearance

The sow thistles has bright yellow, dandelion-like flowers with many thin petals atop hollow, often purplish stems. Its green leaves are deeply lobed or toothed, sometimes prickly, and clasp the stem, releasing milky sap when broken.

## Taxonomy

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

## Interesting facts

- Its leaves are packed with vitamins and can be eaten by people like spinach!
- Pigs absolutely love to munch on sow thistles, which is how they got their name!
- Snap a stem and watch milky white "plant milk" ooze out like magic!
- This plant is a super fast grower, sometimes shooting up a foot in just weeks!

## Special abilities

- **Sticky Sap Shield:** Sow thistles can ooze milky white sap that helps deter hungry animals from eating its leaves.
- **Seed Surfer:** Sow thistles has tiny seeds with fluffy parachutes that help them float far on the wind.
- **Root Renegade:** Sow thistles can regrow from root fragments, making it incredibly tough to remove and spread widely.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-150 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring to Fall
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collecting nectar and pollen
- **Eaten by:** [European Rabbit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-rabbit) (*Oryctolagus cuniculus*) — a common food source for rabbits
- **Depends on:** [Painted Lady](https://www.snappit.app/explore/painted-lady) (*Vanessa cardui*) — caterpillars feed on its leaves for growth
- **Depends on:** [Small Tortoiseshell](https://www.snappit.app/explore/small-tortoiseshell) (*Aglais urticae*) — its caterpillars sometimes feed on sow thistle

## Traits

- [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [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.
- [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.
- [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.
- [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 sow thistles?

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 sow thistles?

30-150 cm

### How wide does sow thistles spread?

30-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on sow thistles?

1-2 cm

### When does sow thistles bloom?

Spring to Fall

### Is sow thistles edible?

Yes

### Is sow thistles toxic?

None

### What is sow thistles's lifecycle?

Annual

## 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: [Sow Thistles: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sow-thistles)