Bitter sow-thistle
Sonchus brachyotus

Family: Asteraceae

What it is like

A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 30-60 cm high. It has underground stems or rhizomes. These are 3-5 cm long. The bud at the end produces a ring of leaves and an erect stem. The leaves are light green and often have purple spots. The leaves at the base are sword shaped and 10-20 cm long by 2-6 cm wide. They have spines or teeth along the edge. The leaves on the stems are ear shaped. The flowers are yellow.

There are about 60 Sonchus species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in poor alkaline soils on dry slopes. In China it grows in alkaline areas between 300-4,000 m above sea level. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Central Asia, China, India, Indochina, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Northeastern India, Russia, SE Asia, Siberia, Thailand, Tibet

How it is used for food

The young ring of leaves are washed, drained mixed with wheat flour, steamed, cooled and seasoned with mashed garlic, chopped onion, salt and vinegar and soysauce. They are eaten with curry. The harvested leaves can be stored for 3-4 days.

It is popular.

Edible parts

Leaves, root

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Kochi hama, Moiri thiki, Paku hadu hammang, Sadhi, Sahadevi

Synonyms

Sonchus arvensis subsp. brachyotus (DC.) Kitam.;