Sonchus arvensis subsp. uliginosus

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Not Native

Marsh sow thistle is a naturalized perennial found in the northwestern Monterey Peninsula and southern Central Coast in damp soil environments at elevations below 1,800 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces yellow flowers in heads with distinctive glandular peduncles and phyllaries. Growing with stems that feature sessile glandular hairs, it forms clusters in wet, marshy areas. Its leaves are likely elongated and deeply lobed, typical of the sow thistle genus. The plant represents an introduced species that has established itself in localized damp habitats along the California coast.

Habitat: Uncommon. Damp soil

Bloom period: Mar-Jun

Elevation: < 1800 m

Bioregions: nw MP, s CCo (Santa Barbara Co., extirpated)

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