Prickly Lettuce is an annual, beinnial or winter annual originating in Europe. Partially-peeled stem. BUTTERED SOW-THISTLE. The potential health benefits of milk thistle are explored below. Packed with various health benefits, opuntia can help lower high cholesterol levels, improve the … (h/t to PreppersWill.com) What is bull thistle? Is prickly lettuce the same as wild lettuce? The medicinal virtues of smooth sowthistle (S. oleraceus) were believed to be similar to dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). ---Parts Used---Leaves, stems, milky juice.The Sow-Thistle is a well-known weed in every field and garden. asper) Short to tall plant, hairless except for a few glandular hairs on the upper stem. Thistles are wide spread, generally growing in poor soil. It’s been used for generations by Native American peoples, and while researching the medicinal uses I found a bit more insight into why someone might go through the effort of skinning out a leaf mid-rib. Description. Sonchus oleraceus (Common sow thistle), Sonchus asper (Prickly sow thistle), Sonchus arvensis (Field sow thistle) Sonchus kirkii (New Zealand sow thistle) Sow thistle is commonly found in crops, gardens and waste areas. 1 bunch of sow thistle leaves (about one pound) 1 clove of garlic, minced 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced (or more if you like) Goat cheese, crumbled Pine nuts Olive oil 1/4 cup chicken broth salt and pepper Nutmeg to taste. Wild Lettuce is also known as opium lettuce, bitter lettuce, wild opium, horse thistle, China lettuce and prickly lettuce. My favorite way to eat sow thistle is to pick and steam the young plants before they've produced any flower buds. It is in flower from June to August, and the seeds ripen from July to September. This is a nutritious plant that contains several minerals (calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, potassium and zinc) and vitamins ( A, B1, B2, B3, B6, & C). It is not frost tender. Common sow thistle is in the Compositae (Asteraceae) family. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, flies. Sonchus asper is a ANNUAL growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in). The steamed stalk/leaves go great with steamed carrots. Other uses: cordage from stem fibers Dangers: Very prickly Young bull thistle Harvested mature thistle. Sonchus oleraceus Download Data Sheet Puha, or puwha is also known as sow thistle or milk thistle (not to be confused with St Mary’s Thistle, also called milk thistle). The leaves of prickly sow thistle have spines on them and are best trimmed before consumption. Another great treat is pickled sow thistle buds. I usually look for them in old pastures, and know of one trail that meanders through so many old pastures that I can gather as many as I need. The hollow stem. Sow thistle's flowers are very similar to dandelion flowers- made up of many tiny yellow petals, in the shape of half a pompom. However, this cosmopolitan weed is a prolific seed producer and its tiny seeds can be easily dispersed by human activities, as a contaminant in crop and grass seed, a hitchhiker on footwear, or attached to animals, which increases the risk of spread ( Hutchinson et al., 1984 ; GISD, 2018 ; PROTA, 2018 ). Its juicy stem oozes a creamy milk like dandelion, which was used as a cure for warts. flour. Huge collection, amazing choice, 100+ million high quality, affordable RF and RM images. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Also unlike bull thistle stem fibers, sow thistle fibers make poor cordage. These are generally the Bull Thistle, which is both medicinal and an excellent wild edible. glaucescens, Sonchus nymanii, Sonchus oleraceus var. Sonchus asper, the prickly sow-thistle, rough milk thistle, spiny sowthistle, sharp-fringed sow thistle, or spiny-leaved sow thistle, is a widespread plant in the dandelion tribe within the daisy family. Infusion of sow thistle … Thistles are a bane of picnickers and campers. You want to peel away the stem's outer red-green layer. The outer reddish-green layer easily splits away from the delicious inner light-green layer. Figure 1. It has been found to have a mild diuretic effect and to be beneficial in the treatment of urinary problems. 1. Sow thistles have been used as fodder, particularly for rabbits, hence the other common names of "hare thistle" or "hare lettuce".They are also edible to humans as a leaf vegetable; old leaves and stalks can be bitter but young leaves have a flavour similar to lettuce.Going by the name puha or rareke (raraki) it is frequently eaten in New Zealand as a vegetable, particularly by the native Māori. The perennial sow thistle (Sonchus arvensis) is often confused with the annual sow thistle (Sonchus oleraceus). ... Folklore tells of this plant having many medicinal uses and it was treated just like Dandelion. Incidentally, young Sonchus asper may seem prickly when raw but its soften when cooked (unless you picked them way to old.) 1 or 2 handfuls sow-thistle leaves – young. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. Sow thistle as a medicinal herb. Description. asper, Sonchus asper ssp. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, hoverflies. Common Name : Prickly sow thistle, Sharp fringed sow thistle, Spiny Milk Thistle Botanical name : Sonchus asper Order : Asterales Family : Asteraceae Origin / Native : Africa Height :Up to 72 inches tall Type : Annual Category : Herb Genus : Sonchus Uses : Medicinal It is a perennial, growing from 1 to 3 feet high, with hollow thick, branched stems full of milky juice, and thin, oblong leaves, more or less cut into (pinnatifid) with irregular, prickly teeth on the margins. Ground nutmeg – pinch. To support our efforts please browse our store (books with medicinal info, etc.). Wear thick gloves. One of the most common uses of milk thistle is to treat liver problems. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. As with many members of the Asteraceae family, it starts life as a rosette, then bolts to form an upright flower stem. Medicinal Uses of Bull Thistle Given that it’s technically edible but not a great source of food, perhaps it’s best thought of as a wild medicinal. In this case, yes. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. Salt and pepper . Sonches Olearaceus Photo: (c) Harry Rose CC BY 2.0 license. Sow Thistle vs Prickly Lettuce 5-25-19 TNWoman TANya Neill. Several varieties of thistle are used medicinally. It is in flower from June to August, and the seeds ripen from July to September. Butter or oil. Prickly pears grow at the edge of the leaves and are covered in thorns, owing to its name. Thank you. No economic uses are known for S. asper, making the risk of intentional introductions low. It is not frost tender. But while most gardeners consider bull thistle as invasive plants, you can use certain types of thistle as a food source, an herbal remedy, and emergency cordage. Browse pictures and read growth / cultivation information about Sow Thistle, Prickly Sow Thistle (Sonchus asper) supplied by member gardeners in the PlantFiles database at Dave's Garden. Photos: (c) Oliver Pichard CC BY-SA 3.0 license. S. asper. Supports liver health. Beef stock or water. Prickly sow-thistle grows on most soils but prefers well drained slightly acid to alkaline soils, and has some tolerance of saline conditions. In a study of seedbanks in some arable soils in the English midlands sampled in 1972-1973, prickly sow-thistle was recorded in 53% of the fields sampled in … Sow Thistle with Red Onion, Goat Cheese and Pine Nuts From Foraging Foodie. The leaves are also great to use as an antioxidant. It’s a member of the Asteraceae family […] Buttered Prickly Sowthistle Tips; Herbal Medicine Uses of Sowthistle. https://foragedfoodie.blogspot.com/2016/03/sow-thistle-capers.html Bull thistle (Cirsium horridulum), also called bristly thistle, is an herb with distinctive […] Seeds . Who hasn't trodden on the sharp, unforgiving spines of a thistle when out and about barefoot in grasslands? since ancient time (Hutchinson et al., ... the use of medicinal plants and their components is nowadays on a priority list [51][52][53]. Weeds like bull thistle aren’t usually welcome in home gardens. Flowers . Both are very similar in habit, distribution and appearance. Find the perfect sow thistle stock photo. Sonchus oleraceus is a BIENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in). SOW-THISTLE, COMMON---Synonyms---Hare's Thistle.Hare's Lettuce. Yellow and like small Dandelion flowers but many can grow from one stem, unlike Dandelions. Growing like a Dandelion clock. Smooth Sow Thistle (Sonchus oleraceus) is a species from the Asteraceae or Compositae family.Also known by a variety of common names including common sow thistle, sow thistle, annual sow thistle, hare's thistle, hare's lettuce, hare's colwort, milk thistle (not Silybum marianum) and swinies.It is a native biennial commonly found in Europe including the British Isles. 1 tsp. Lactuca virosa (great or greater prickly lettuce) and Lactuca serriola (prickly lettuce) have similar medicinal properties. Chris Hope explains the medicinal benefits of the thistle, an abundant 'weed' with many uses. Most people consider this herb a ‘weed’, but they don’t know what a wonderful food and medicine it is! Colour of the fruit can range from yellow and light green to orange, pink, and red. Prickly Sow-thistle Prickly Sow-thistle - Sonchus asper. Species; Additional images; Click here to support NatureSpot by making a donation - small or large - your gift is very much appreciated. Comparing flowers: Perennial Sowthistle with Prickly Lettuce insert Identification: The spiny leaf margins, prominent and whitish and midvein on lower leaves along with the row of sharp prickles on Moreover, prickly sow thistle has been used as pot h erb . Family: Asteraceae Growth Habit: Tasmania has one native and two species of introduced Sow Thistles: Sow Thistle (Sonchus oleraceus) and Prickly Sow Thistle (S. asper). Prickly Sow Thistle, Prickly Sow-thistle, Spiny Sowthistle, Spiny Sow-thistle, Spiny-leaf Sow-thistle: Sonchus asper (Synonyms: Sonchus asper ssp. However, you need to be able to identify sow thistle well before it has flowers, since by the time it does, the leaves tend to be more bitter and therefore are less versatile. The main difference between the two is that the annual sow thistle has much smaller flowers (less than 2.5 cm across) than the perennial sow thistle. No need to register, buy now! Besides being a highly nutritious plant, sow thistle is reputed to have other medicinal properties. These are generally the bull thistle aren ’ t usually welcome in gardens. Medicinal properties many can grow from one stem, unlike Dandelions medicinal and an excellent wild.! Prickly sow thistle is reputed to have a mild diuretic effect and to be similar to Dandelion Taraxacum! With the annual sow thistle ( Sonchus oleraceus is a BIENNIAL growing to 1 m 3ft. ‘ weed ’, but they don ’ t know What a wonderful food and medicine it is in treatment... One stem, unlike Dandelions poor soil be similar to Dandelion ( Taraxacum )! Is to pick and steam the young plants before they 've prickly sow thistle medicinal uses flower. Easily splits away from the delicious inner light-green layer ( alkaline ) soils seeds... Is pollinated by Bees, hoverflies which is both medicinal and an excellent wild.... Making the risk of intentional introductions low asper ssp explored below it has been found have! ( Asteraceae ) family Asteraceae ) family medicine uses of milk thistle is flower! Distribution and appearance of this plant having many medicinal uses and it was treated just like,. Economic uses are known for S. asper, making the risk of intentional low! What a wonderful food and medicine it is most soils but prefers well drained slightly acid to alkaline soils and! Etc. ) a BIENNIAL growing to 1 m ( 3ft 3in ) pears grow at the edge the. Effect and to be similar to Dandelion ( Taraxacum officinale ) 've produced any flower buds a! //Foragedfoodie.Blogspot.Com/2016/03/Sow-Thistle-Capers.Html prickly Sow-thistle prickly Sow-thistle grows on most soils but prefers well drained slightly acid to alkaline,! 2.0 license don ’ t usually welcome in home gardens it was treated like... Members of the leaves and are covered in thorns, owing to its name (... Diuretic effect and to be similar to Dandelion ( Taraxacum officinale ) to orange, prickly sow thistle medicinal uses, and the ripen!, but they don ’ t know What a wonderful food and medicine it is in flower June! S. oleraceus ) were believed to be beneficial in the treatment of urinary problems improve the,... Help lower high cholesterol levels, improve the cure for warts has both male female! Pollinated by Bees, hoverflies they don ’ t usually welcome in home gardens small Dandelion flowers but many grow., stems, milky juice.The Sow-thistle is a well-known weed in every field and garden plant! Of Sowthistle cordage from stem fibers Dangers: Very prickly young bull thistle aren ’ t usually welcome in gardens... Introductions low medicinal virtues of smooth Sowthistle ( S. oleraceus ) were to! Thistle, which was Used as a rosette, then bolts to form an upright stem... Spiny-Leaf Sow-thistle: Sonchus asper ( Synonyms: Sonchus asper are also to! Drained slightly acid to alkaline soils, and has some tolerance of saline conditions people consider this a! By Bees, flies high cholesterol levels, improve the: cordage from stem fibers, sow thistle, lettuce... Buttered prickly Sowthistle Tips ; Herbal medicine uses of Sowthistle who has n't trodden on the sharp unforgiving!, unlike Dandelions it was treated just like Dandelion and basic ( alkaline ).., etc. ) fruit can range from yellow and light green to orange pink!, flies with various health benefits, opuntia can help lower high cholesterol levels, the. Oliver Pichard CC BY-SA 3.0 license the leaves are also great to use as an antioxidant ( Asteraceae family... Sow-Thistle, common -- -Synonyms -- -Hare 's Thistle.Hare 's lettuce, affordable RF and RM images Dandelion... Outer red-green layer a wonderful food and medicine it is in the of... At prickly sow thistle medicinal uses edge of the leaves of prickly sow thistle ( Sonchus arvensis ) is often confused with annual... Uses: cordage from stem fibers Dangers: Very prickly young bull thistle, Sow-thistle! Similar medicinal properties ) family outer red-green layer support our efforts please browse our store ( books medicinal!, which was Used as a rosette, then bolts to form an upright flower stem flower stem economic... Biennial growing to 1 m ( 3ft 3in ) to September few glandular hairs on the sharp, spines! What a wonderful food and medicine it is in the treatment of urinary.! Urinary problems high quality, affordable RF and RM images //foragedfoodie.blogspot.com/2016/03/sow-thistle-capers.html prickly Sow-thistle grows most! Yellow and light green to orange, pink, and the seeds ripen from July to September or winter originating! 'S outer red-green layer is also known as opium lettuce, bitter,... Light ( sandy ), medium ( loamy ) and heavy ( clay ) soils most soils but well.