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Sow thistles have been used as fodder, particularly for [[rabbit]]s, hence the other common names of "hare thistle" or "hare lettuce". They are also edible to [[human]]s as a [[leaf vegetable]]; old leaves and stalks can be [[bitter (taste)|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 people|Māori]]. When cooked the flavour is reminiscent of [[chard]].
Sow thistles have been used as fodder, particularly for [[rabbit]]s, hence the other common names of "hare thistle" or "hare lettuce". They are also edible to [[human]]s as a [[leaf vegetable]]; old leaves and stalks can be [[bitter (taste)|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 people|Māori]]. When cooked the flavour is reminiscent of [[chard]].


In many areas sow thistles are considered [[noxious weed]]s,<ref>{{PLANTS|symbol=SOAR2|taxon=Sonchus arvensis}}</ref> as they grow quickly in a wide range of conditions and their wind-borne [[seed]]s allow them to spread rapidly. ''Sonchus arvensis'', the perennial sow thistle, is considered the most economically detrimental, as it can crowd commercial [[agriculture|crops]], is a heavy consumer of [[nitrogen]] in [[soil]]s, may deplete soil water of land left to [[fallow]], and can regrow and sprout additional plants from its creeping [[root]]s. However, sow thistles are easily uprooted by hand, and their soft stems present little resistance to slashing or mowing. Most [[livestock]] will readily devour sow thistle in preference to [[grass]], and this lettuce-relative is edible and nutritious to humans — in fact this is the meaning of the second part of the Latin name of the common sow thistle, ''oleraceus''.<ref>[http://www.arthurleej.com/a-sowthistle.html Arthur Lee Jacobson website]{{dead link|date=August 2016}}</ref> Attempts at weed control by herbicidal use, to the neglect of other methods, may have led to a proliferation of this species in some environments.<ref>[https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/75640/Management-of-common-sowthistle.pdf Management of common sow thistle], Queensland Government
In many areas sow thistles are considered [[noxious weed]]s,<ref>{{PLANTS|symbol=SOAR2|taxon=Sonchus arvensis}}</ref> as they grow quickly in a wide range of conditions and their wind-borne [[seed]]s allow them to spread rapidly. ''Sonchus arvensis'', the perennial sow thistle, is considered the most economically detrimental, as it can crowd commercial [[agriculture|crops]], is a heavy consumer of [[nitrogen]] in [[soil]]s, may deplete soil water of land left to [[fallow]], and can regrow and sprout additional plants from its creeping [[root]]s. However, sow thistles are easily uprooted by hand, and their soft stems present little resistance to slashing or mowing. Most [[livestock]] will readily devour sow thistle in preference to [[grass]], and this lettuce-relative is edible and nutritious to humans — in fact this is the meaning of the second part of the Latin name of the common sow thistle, ''oleraceus''.<ref>[http://www.arthurleej.com/a-sowthistle.html Arthur Lee Jacobson website] {{wayback|url=http://www.arthurleej.com/a-sowthistle.html |date=20100917130301 }}</ref> Attempts at weed control by herbicidal use, to the neglect of other methods, may have led to a proliferation of this species in some environments.<ref>[https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/75640/Management-of-common-sowthistle.pdf Management of common sow thistle], Queensland Government
</ref>
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Revision as of 15:17, 12 November 2016

Sow thistles
Sonchus oleraceus
(Smooth Sow-Thistle)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Eudicots
(unranked):
Asterids
Order:
Asterales
Family:
Asteraceae
Tribe:
Cichorieae[1]
Subtribe:
Hyoseridinae
Genus:
Sonchus

Type species
Sonchus oleraceus[2][3]
Synonyms[1]
File:Sivone.jpg
Sonchus tenerrimus and Sonchus oleraceus infest many crops in Italy, especially in the Southern area of the peninsula. They are considered good tasting edible plants and are cooked with spaghetti.
Sonchus hierrensis in the Canary Island of La Gomera.

Sonchus is a genus of flowering plants in the dandelion tribe within the sunflower family.[3][4]

Most of the species are annual herbs, a few are perennial, and a few are even woody (subgenus Dendrosonchus, restricted to the Canary Islands).[5][6][7][8][9]

Annual herbs in the genus are known as sow thistles (less commonly hare thistles or hare lettuces). The genus is named after the Ancient Greek for such plants. All are characterized by soft, somewhat irregularly lobed leaves that clasp the stem and, at least initially, form a basal rosette. The stem contains a milky latex. Flower heads are yellow and range in size from half to one inch in diameter; the florets are all of ray type. Sow thistles are common roadside plants, and while native to Eurasia and tropical Africa, they are found almost worldwide in temperate regions.[10]

Mature sow thistle stems can range from 30 cm to 2 m (1 to 6 feet) tall, depending upon species and growing conditions. Colouration ranges from green to purple in older plants. Sow thistles exude a milky latex when any part of the plant is cut or damaged, and it is from this fact that the plants obtained the common name, "sow thistle", as they were fed to lactating sows in the belief that milk production would increase. Sow thistles are known as "milk thistles" in some regions, although true milk thistles belong to the genus Silybum.

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. When cooked the flavour is reminiscent of chard.

In many areas sow thistles are considered noxious weeds,[11] as they grow quickly in a wide range of conditions and their wind-borne seeds allow them to spread rapidly. Sonchus arvensis, the perennial sow thistle, is considered the most economically detrimental, as it can crowd commercial crops, is a heavy consumer of nitrogen in soils, may deplete soil water of land left to fallow, and can regrow and sprout additional plants from its creeping roots. However, sow thistles are easily uprooted by hand, and their soft stems present little resistance to slashing or mowing. Most livestock will readily devour sow thistle in preference to grass, and this lettuce-relative is edible and nutritious to humans — in fact this is the meaning of the second part of the Latin name of the common sow thistle, oleraceus.[12] Attempts at weed control by herbicidal use, to the neglect of other methods, may have led to a proliferation of this species in some environments.[13]

In traditional medicine, the plant has medicinal qualities, having "nearly the same properties as dandelion and succory".[14]

Sow thistles are common host plants for aphids. Gardeners may consider this a benefit or a curse; aphids may spread from sow thistle to other plants, but alternatively the sow thistle can encourage the growth of beneficial predators such as hoverflies. In this regard sow thistles make excellent sacrificial plants. Sonchus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera including Celypha rufana and the broad-barred white, grey chi, nutmeg, and shark moths . The fly Tephritis formosa is known to attack the capitula of this plant.[15]

Species[1]

3

References

  1. ^ a b c Flann, C (ed) 2009+ Global Compositae Checklist
  2. ^ Lectotype designated by N. L. Britton & A. Brown, Ill. Fl. N.U.S. ed. 2. 3: 316 (1913).
  3. ^ a b Tropicos, Sonchus L.
  4. ^ Linnaeus, Carl von. 1753. Species Plantarum 2: 793-795 in Latin
  5. ^ For a recent review of woody species, see Seung-Chul Kim et al. (1996). "A common origin for woody Sonchus and five related genera in the Macaronesian islands: Molecular evidence for extensive radiation." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 93:7743-7748.
  6. ^ "Sonchus". Flora of China – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
  7. ^ Altervista Flora Italiana genere Sonchus photos and distribution maps for several species
  8. ^ Atlas of Living Australia
  9. ^ Flora Zambesiaca
  10. ^ Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). "Sonchus". Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
  11. ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Sonchus arvensis". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team.
  12. ^ Arthur Lee Jacobson website Template:Wayback
  13. ^ Management of common sow thistle, Queensland Government
  14. ^ A Modern Herbal by M. Grieve
  15. ^ White, I.M. (1984). Tephritid Flies (Diptera: Tephritidea). Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects. Vol. 10 pt 5a. Royal Entomological Society of London. pp. 134 pp. ISBN 0901546682.
  16. ^ a b "Sonchus". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
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