Sow Thistle, Common sowthistle
Sonchus oleraceus
Family: Asteraceae or Compositae
What it is like
Sonchus oleraceus is a BIENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in). It is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to August, and the seeds ripen from July to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, flies. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 1
Where it is found
Waysides, waste and cultivated ground. A common weed, avoiding acid soils and shady positions.
Europe, including Britain, south and east from Scandanavia to N. Africa, N. and W. Asia.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Young leaves - raw or cooked. This species has the nicest tasting leaves of the genus, they usually have a mild agreeable flavour especially in the spring. They can be added to salads, cooked like spinach or used in soups etc. The leaves contain about 30 - 40mg of vitamin C per 100g, 1.2% protein, 0.3% fat, 2.4% carbohydrate, 1.2% ash. A zero moisture analysis is also available. It might be best, though it is not essential, to remove the marginal prickles. Stems - cooked like asparagus or rhubarb. They are best if the outer skin is removed first. Young root - cooked. They are woody and not very acceptable. The milky sap has been used as a chewing gum by the Maoris of New Zealand.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Stem: this often intergrades into leaves.
Gum: can be chewed as a chewing gum or can often be used as a sweetener or thickening agent in foods.
Medicine
Rating: 2
The plant is emmenagogue and hepatic. An infusion has been used to bring on a tardy menstruation and to treat diarrhoea. The latex in the sap is used in the treatment of warts. It is also said to have anticancer activity. The stem juice is a powerful hydrogogue and cathartic, it should be used with great caution since it can cause colic and tenesmus. The gum has been used as a cure for the opium habit. The leaves are applied as a poultice to inflammatory swellings. An infusion of the leaves and roots is febrifuge and tonic.
Cancer: Used in the treatment of cancer.
Emmenagogue: Promotes or increases the menstrual flow. In early stages of pregnancy it can induce an abortion.
Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.
Hepatic: Acts on the liver (for better or worse!).
Hydrogogue: A purgative that causes an abundant watery discharge.
Poultice: A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.
Tonic: Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.
Vitamin C: Plants good for their vitamin C content
Warts: Used in the treatment of warts, corns etc.
Other
Rating: 2
The latex in the stem contains 0.14% rubber, but this is much too low for commercial exploitation. The plant is a good companion for onions, tomatoes, corn as well as the cucumber and squash family.
Gum: Gums have a wide range of uses, especially as stabilizers, emulsifiers, thickening agents, adhesives etc.
Latex: A source of rubber.
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
How it is grown
Succeeds in most soils in a sunny position. This plant has been cultivated for its edible leaves by the Maoris of New Zealand. The plant is 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. This species is a common garden weed and should not need any encouragement.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Biennial
Hardiness: 0-0
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist