Sonchus arvensis

Perennial sow thistle

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Not Native

Perennial sow thistle is a naturalized perennial herb found in agricultural and disturbed areas across California. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces yellow flowers in daisy-like heads approximately 2 to 3 centimeters wide. Growing with tall stems 40 to 150 centimeters high emerging from long underground rhizomes, it develops both flowering and non-flowering stems. Its leaves are distinctive, with basal leaves 5 to 15 centimeters long that are deeply lobed and short-petioled, while stem leaves have coarse lobes with curled basal clasping segments. The fruit is dark brown, approximately 2.5 to 3 millimeters long with rough ribbed surfaces.

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.