Sonchus oleraceus

Common sow thistle

Family: Asteraceae · Type: annual · Not Native

Common sow thistle is a naturalized annual found throughout California in disturbed places at elevations below 2,500 meters. Flowering all year, this plant produces yellow flowers in heads 10 to 13 millimeters long with ligules approximately equal to the flower tube. Growing with branched stems 10 to 140 centimeters tall, it has a spreading habit that allows it to quickly colonize open areas. Its leaves are primarily lobed, with terminal leaflets often widely arrowhead-shaped, and lower leaves typically tapering or wing-petioled. The fruit is dark brown, 2.5 to 3.8 millimeters long, with cross-wrinkled surfaces and prominent ribs.

Habitat: Abundant. Disturbed places

Bloom period: All year

Elevation: < 2500 m

Bioregions: CA

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