Field Milk Thistle, Field sowthistle, Moist sowthistle
Sonchus arvensis
Family: Asteraceae or Compositae
What it is like
Sonchus arvensis is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.2 m (4ft). It is not frost tender. It is in flower from July to October, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, flies, Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies), beetles. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 1.2
Where it is found
Arable and waste land, ditches and on the drift line of salt and brackish margins, avoiding acid soils. A persistent weed of cultivation.
Europe, including Britain, south and east from Scandanavia to Spain and W. Asia.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Young leaves - raw or cooked. A slightly bitter taste, they can be added to salads or cooked like spinach. The leaves are rich in mineral salts and vitamin C, they contain about 47mg of vitamin C per 100g and 2% protein (dry weight). It might be best, though it is not necessary, to remove the marginal prickles. Stems - cooked like asparagus or rhubarb. Young root - cooked. The roasted root is used as a coffee substitute.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Stem: this often intergrades into leaves.
Coffee: the various substitutes that can be used instead of coffee.
Medicine
Rating: 1
The leaves are used as a poultice and are said to have anti-inflammatory activity. An infusion of the leaves has been used in the treatment of caked breasts. A tea made from the roots is used in the treatment of asthma, coughs and other chest complaints. A tea made from the leaves is said to calm the nerves.
Antiinflammatory: Reduces inflammation of joints, injuries etc.
Pectoral: Relieves respiratory diseases, a remedy for chest diseases.
Sedative: Gently calms, reducing nervousness, distress and irritation.
Vitamin C: Plants good for their vitamin C content
Other
Rating: 3
The plant is said to have insecticidal properties. A good companion for onions, tomatoes, corn as well as the cucumber and squash family. Dynamic accumulator.
Insecticide: Kills insects.
Dynamic accumulator: Plants that gather minerals or nutrients from the soil and store them in a more bioavailable form and in high concentration in their tissues. Used as fertilizer or to improve mulch.
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
How it is grown
A common garden weed, see notes on its habitat if you want to encourage it. This species has been cultivated for its edible leaves by the Maoris of New Zealand, in Indonesia there are improved varieties selected for their edible leaves. A good companion for onions, tomatoes, corn as well as the cucumber and squash family. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water. The root pattern is rhizomatous with underground stems sending roots and shoots along their length .
Propagating it: Seed - sow spring in situ. A common garden weed, this species should not normally need any assistance.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 0-0
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist