Plant · GBIF taxon 8228544
Common Sow-thistle
Sonchus oleraceusAlso known as Smooth Sow-thistle, Annual Sow-thistle, Hare's Colwort, Puha
Common sow-thistle thrives as an opportunistic annual across urban cracks, field edges, and garden beds worldwide. Hollow, ribbed stems leak a bitter milky latex when bruised, while clusters of pale yellow ray flowers open in morning sunlight and close by early afternoon. Each spent bloom transforms into a downy sphere of parachute-equipped achenes that drift away on the slightest breeze to colonize freshly disturbed ground.
FloweringWildflowerUrban Wildlife
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Sunlight
- Soil nutrients
- Water
Predators
- Aphids
- American Goldfinch
- European Rabbit
ThreatsHerbicide application, routine mowing, soil tilling
HabitatsDisturbed soil, roadsides, agricultural fields, waste ground, gardens
Life span1–2 years
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 Base Inspection: Look for pointed, arrow-shaped clasping auricles that wrap around the smooth green stem.
- Latex Secretion: Gently snap a bruised lower leaf to observe the white milky sap characteristic of the genus.
Competitor (c) George F Mayfield, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Frequent Companion Walther Otto Müller / Public domain · cc0
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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