Sonchus asper
Encyclopedia
Sonchus asper is an annual plant
with spiny leaves
and yellow flowers resembling those of the dandelion. The leaves are bluish-green, simple, lanceolate, with wavy and sometimes lobed margins, covered in spines on both the margins and beneath. The base of the leaf surrounds the stem. The plant can reach 180 cm (6 ft) in height. The leaves and stems emit a milky sap when cut. The flowers grow in clusters and the end of the stems.
This plant is native to Europe
, but is also a common weed
in North America
n roadsides, landscapes, and pastures. Its edible leaves make a palatable and nutritious leaf vegetable
.
The plant can be classified as a noxious weed. Care should be exercised when weeding or handling the plant. Many people report irritations ranging from burning sensations, redness, and mild to severe rashes when coming in contact with the spines. Hands should be rinses immediately after handling the plant, as the chemical irritant can spread easily via contact to other parts of the body, in a similar way to poison ivy.
Annual plant
An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...
with spiny leaves
Leaves
-History:Vocalist Arnar Gudjonsson was formerly the guitarist with Mower, and he was joined by Hallur Hallsson , Arnar Ólafsson , Bjarni Grímsson , and Andri Ásgrímsson . Late in 2001 they played with Emiliana Torrini and drew early praise from the New York Times...
and yellow flowers resembling those of the dandelion. The leaves are bluish-green, simple, lanceolate, with wavy and sometimes lobed margins, covered in spines on both the margins and beneath. The base of the leaf surrounds the stem. The plant can reach 180 cm (6 ft) in height. The leaves and stems emit a milky sap when cut. The flowers grow in clusters and the end of the stems.
This plant is native to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, but is also a common weed
Weed
A weed in a general sense is a plant that is considered by the user of the term to be a nuisance, and normally applied to unwanted plants in human-controlled settings, especially farm fields and gardens, but also lawns, parks, woods, and other areas. More specifically, the term is often used to...
in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n roadsides, landscapes, and pastures. Its edible leaves make a palatable and nutritious leaf vegetable
Leaf vegetable
Leaf vegetables, also called potherbs, green vegetables, greens, leafy greens or salad greens, are plant leaves eaten as a vegetable, sometimes accompanied by tender petioles and shoots...
.
The plant can be classified as a noxious weed. Care should be exercised when weeding or handling the plant. Many people report irritations ranging from burning sensations, redness, and mild to severe rashes when coming in contact with the spines. Hands should be rinses immediately after handling the plant, as the chemical irritant can spread easily via contact to other parts of the body, in a similar way to poison ivy.