Plant · GBIF taxon 8228544
Sonchus oleraceus
sonchus oleraceusAlso known as Smooth Sow Thistle, Annual Sow Thistle, Puha, Hare's Thistle
Common sowthistle produces bright yellow dandelion-like flower heads atop hollow stems that exude a milky white sap when broken. It quickly colonizes disturbed soils, garden beds, and urban pavement cracks using abundant wind-borne seeds fitted with silky plumes. The soft, lobed leaves feature arrow-shaped bases that clasp directly around the upright stem.
AnnualFloweringWeedy
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic (Photosynthetic)
Predators
- Aphids
- Slugs and snails
- Rabbits
ThreatsHerbicides, mechanical weeding, intensive soil cultivation
HabitatsDisturbed soil, roadsides, agricultural fields, waste places, gardens
Life spanLess than 1 year
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderAsterales
- FamilyAsteraceae
- GenusSonchus
- Speciessonchus oleraceus
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 soft, deeply cut leaves with pointed lobes that clasp around the stem.
- Sap Observation: Break a leaf stalk gently to observe the characteristic white latex sap.
Look-Alike Walther Otto Müller / Public domain · cc0
Frequent Companion (c) William Stephens, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Sara Navarro, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Sara Navarro · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Dmitriy Bochkov, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Dmitriy Bochkov · cc-by
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