Plant · GBIF taxon 3105782
prickly sowthistle
Sonchus asperAlso known as Spiny Sowthistle, Rough Milk Thistle, Sharp-Fringed Sow Thistle, Spiny-Leaved Sow Thistle
Prickly sowthistle features glossy, dark green leaves with sharp, spiny margins that clasp the hollow stem with prominent rounded lobes. Bright yellow heads of ray florets open on sunny mornings, eventually maturing into fluffy white seed heads that drift on wind currents. Widely naturalized across the globe, this resilient plant thrives in sunny, disturbed habitats ranging from farmland to urban pavement cracks.
FloweringWeedyAnnual
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic (photosynthetic)
Predators
- Aphids
- Goldfinches
- Herbivorous caterpillars
ThreatsHerbicides, mechanical weeding, land clearance
HabitatsDisturbed ground, fields, roadsides, waste areas, garden borders
Life span1 year (annual) or up to 2 years (biennial)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderAsterales
- FamilyAsteraceae
- GenusSonchus
- SpeciesSonchus asper
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Leaf Identification: Look for rounded, lobe-like leaf bases that wrap completely around the stem.
- Weed Management: Pull young plants before the fluffy seed heads mature and disperse in the wind.
- Observation: Examine the yellow flower heads in bright morning sunlight when they open fully.
Frequent Companion Walther Otto Müller / Public domain · cc0
Competitor (c) George F Mayfield, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Colin Meurk, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Colin Meurk · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Dmitriy Bochkov, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Dmitriy Bochkov · cc-by
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