However, the true Scotch thistle (Onopordum acanthium) is not known to occur in Western Australia (WA). Glossy, dark green leaves that look slightly spiky. Thistles, also known as Sow thistle, rejoices in the Latin name of Sonchus oleraceus and is widespread throughout the world. The University of Queensland, Gatton College. (1994) The bushweed 2 database of environmental weeds in Australia. Corn sowthistle is a long-lived, vigorous, perennial herb that is a potentially serious weed of temperate Australia’s cropping systems and environmental areas. anonymous on February 19, 2011: Mow or cut the thistle right before or during the flowering stage so it can’t distribute its seeds. Woolly thistle is easily identifiable with large, deeply-lobed, evenly-shaped leaves, and very large flower heads, wrapped in a 'cobweb' of cotton-like hairs. They have sparse hairs on the upper leaf surface. This page was last updated on document.write(dateModified). The stems are a 5 angled hollow stem that is dark green (sometimes tinted with a reddish-purple tinge). Victorian Resources Online | Agriculture Victoria | Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, Salinity Indicator Plants - A guide to spotting soil salting, Salinity Indicator Plant List - Alphabetical Listing - Common Name, Salinity in the Central and Northern Victorian Region. Swarbrick, J.T. Milk thistle can be easily identified because the stems will leak a milky white sap when broken, hence the name. https://www.victoriaferguson.com.au/poisons-affecting-horses/, COBBLER’S PEGS aka FARMER’S FRIEND  Latin name Bidens pilosa. Your gateway to a wide range of natural resources information and associated maps, Back | Salinity Indicator Plants Home | Common name home | Scientific name home | Photo Gallery | Glossary. If the unblock fails you will need to contact the server owner or … The origin of the name ‘Sow Thistle’ is ancient but obscure. | SEO by Viva Digital, Orlando Says Buy Your Chrissie Presents From My Mum, Useful Herbs For Horses & Their Humans – Comfrey, WP Equi-Vital All-Natural Feed Supplement. Then, cut it again as soon as you notice new growth. Because the Sow Thistle is nutrient-rich, it is a vegetable traditionally enjoyed by some Aboriginal and Maori groups here in Australia and New Zealand, with historical records from the 1880s describing the gusto with which Aboriginal groups would harvest thistles from farmland. & Skarratt, D.B. Dept. Common sowthistle is ranked as the 5th most difficult weed to control in winter crops. This is a hardy, toxic weed you need to be aware of and get good advice on how to get rid of it without using chemical poisons. It can grow up to 2 metres tall and has yellow flowers and green stems and leaves. The plant is known as St Marys Thistle, Milk Thistle and Variegated Thistle (Silybum marianum) are one of the most valuable liver herbs in the herbalist’s dispensary. From injury to disease, pain is a very common ailment or symptom that can take down the toughest of the tough.It’s so prevalent that we are seeing a major epidemic with opiate dependency. by Victoria Ferguson | Sep 28, 2020 | Poisons Affecting Horses |. 794 (1753). Plant Description: Annual to biennial 20-150 cm tall with variously lobed, lanceolate (lance-shaped) or oblanceolate leaves, bright green but often with a … So this is a good weed enjoyed by horses. Sonchus oleraceus is indigenous to Asia and Europe, and it can be found growing in North America, South America, Australia and the Middle East. Unfortunately, with so many needing to find relief, it’s leading to a large portion of our population becoming dependent on a chemical bandage, often just masking the problem, rather than fixing the … It will keep growing even after spraying of herbicides – just double trouble there. Sonchus oleraceus found in Europe, Asia and northern Africa. All rights reserved. Also known as Sonchus oleraceus, sowthistle, smooth sow thistle The earth cracks between weeds in a farmer's field near Griffith, 400km (249miles) north of Melbourne, August 22, 2007. Thistles, also known as Sow thistle, rejoices in the Latin name of Sonchus oleraceus and is widespread throughout the world. Sonchus oleraceus, with many common names including Common Sow thistle, Milk Thistle, Smooth Saw-thistle, Sow Thistle, Annual Sow thistle, annual milk thistle, hare’s-lettuce, common milk thistle, colewort, field sow thistle, hare’s thistle, small sow thistle, Hare’s Colwort, Common Milk Sow-thistle, Milky Tassel, Milk-weed, Thalaak or swinies, is a plant in the dandelion tribe within the … Australia. Marsh thistle looks somewhat like spear thistle at an initial glance, but without the large spines and leaf lobes, and usually with a thin, red, leaf margin. Sonchus asper is a major problem in winter crops and in tillage systems throughout southern Australia, South-East Queensland and Northern New South Wales. Sow thistle can be found just about everywhere. Thistles grow as a rosette of leaves close to the ground from which grow tall stems carrying the flowers. Native to South America and naturalized throughout Australia this is a highly valued medicinal herb. Annual Sow thistle, Sow thistle common weeds in Australia. Photos: (c) Oliver Pichard CC BY-SA 3.0 license. Variegated thistle is a native of Eurasia and the Mediterranean and was probably introduced to WA in the early days of settlement. This should not be confused with the weeds known as Mallows and erroneously called Marshmallows which are from the species Malva parviflora which are a prolific weed in Australia especially on degraded pastures where the soil is compacted. Some authorities believe that populations of Clammy Sow-thistle (Sochus tenerrimus) found in Australia are actually one of these forms of Common Sow-thistle.Common Sow-thistle belongs to a group of mainly yellow-flowered daisies in the Tribe Lactuceae. longitudinally) with spiny 'wings' originating where the edges of the leaves continue down the stem. It does contain toxic compounds that can cause poisoning in grazing animals. Synonymy: Sonchus tenerrimus Common name: Common sow-thistle, milk thistle. Young leaves provide substance and depth of flavor to other greens, and in salads the yellow flowers prove a bright addition. Although grazing animals (and butterflies) actually prefer the Sonchus to grass farmers rant about the plant because it’s a weed amongst their crop. Tamar Valley Weed Strategy (1997) Sow and Prickly Sow Thistles (Sonchus oleraceus and Sonchus asper ssp. Its edible leaves make a palatable and nutritious leaf vegetable. Sonchus oleraceus also found in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Falkland Islands, French Southern Territories, Greenland, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, United States, Virgin Islands. Perennial sow thistle flowers are larger and resemble the dandelion. Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales)." However, in New Zealand, it apparently does not. © State of Victoria (Agriculture Victoria) 1996 - document.write(thisYear). General Description: An erect, hairless, branched plant with sprays of yellow, thistle type flowers at the ends of branches and large, soft, lobed leaves. It grows all year round but it is prolific in spring. Sonchus asper (spiny sow-thistle); habit. glaucescens). According to Pat Collins well-known herbalist, teacher and author, some botanists believe that it has been in Australia for thousands of years. Recently one of my clients in South Australia was concerned that this mallow had overtaken some yards. Citation: L., Sp. Ready For More Information. The white sap can be used to dab onto warts to hasten their departure, just like the true Dandelion. As for the sow thistle’s botanical name: Sonchus is the ancient Greek name for the plant and means “hollow” referring to the plant’s hollow stem, a point of identification. May 2015. Can grow up to 1.5 metres ... Sydney, Australia +61 (0)414 717 570. info@prolawn.com.au Warning: contains latex. Three of my horses enjoying a feed of Thistles I picked for them. A strain of lettuce that looks like a cross between a dandelion and a thistle is actually an age-old painkiller.. Wild lettuce (Lactuca virosa), also known as “poor man’s opium” or “Lettuce Opium”, has been around for centuries. I can highly recommend Pat Collins beautifully illustrated book The Wondrous World of Weeds available from her shop, https://patcollins.com.au/Shop/All/wondrous_weeds.html, © Victoria Ferguson. It is usually found on soils of moderate to high fertility in areas with an annual ra… Common names- Sow Thistle/ Milk Thistle Botanical name- Sonchus oleraceus Identifying features- Yellow, dandelion-like flower. There are many varieties of thistle in Australia and New Zealand, of which Scotch Thistle was a declared a weed as far back as 1850. Spear thistle (Cirsium vulgare) is regarded as an environmental weed in parts of south-eastern Australia (i.e. It is one of the most common weeds found throughout Australia, not so much where I live now in the wetter sub tropics, but in the colder drier south that I grew up in, I remember it being everywhere a s a child. As some people are allergic to latex, it’s recommended to be cautious if consuming sow thistle for the first time. Thistles, Sow Thistle. Access to higher quality images can also be provided on request. The stem leaves are somewhat smaller and stem clasping. Sow thistles are an erect, herbaceous, taprooted annual that can grow to over 1m in height if the plant is damaged or cut it exudes a milky latex. Common sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus) is regarded as an environmental weed in Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and the Northern Territory. It is a low growing creeping perennial plant with trailing stems that root from the nodes, with small, orange-red flowers which grow on long stems in the summer. I use this herb to detoxify horses poisoned from eating Paterson’s Curse. It is native to Europe and western Asia. Sonches Olearaceus Photo: (c) Harry Rose CC BY 2.0 license. The Red Flowering Mallow aka Creeping Mallow is also a member of the Malva family with the Latin name of Modiola caroliniana. You are free to re-use the work under that licence, on the condition that you credit the State of Victoria (Agriculture Victoria) as author, indicate if changes were made and comply with the other licence terms. S. asper. Maui, Hawaii, USA. The mature plant is 30-110cm in height and arises from a deep taproot. Pl. Even though it is fiercely prickly horses love to ever so carefully eat the purple flower petals. Botanical Name: Sochus spp. It grows in garden beds, lawns, disturbed lands, pastures, crops, wasteland and roadsides. Rough Sowthistle is an erect, branched annual or biennial herb about 1 m tall with hollow stems which have a milky sap. The licence does not apply to ‘branding’ or some ‘images or photographs’ that may be owned by third parties. Horses love this sappy thistle, even the Prickly Sow Thistle which has spiny ends on the margins of their leaves. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Sonchus oleraceus, with many common names including common sowthistle, sow thistle, smooth sow thistle, annual sow thistle, hare's colwort, hare's thistle, milky tassel, milk thistle, soft thistle, or swinies, is a plant in the dandelion tribe within the daisy family. For more information about edible weeds in Australia, have a look at Part 2 of the article: More Free Food, Edible Weeds or Flower Power, Free Fancy Food. Description: Milk thistle or sowthistle is a common weed which grows annually. Instead of slashing putting some stock in for a few days will have a better effect plus added manure. Less bitter than dandelion, sow thistle leaves are said to be a good source of vitamins A and C, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, calcium, phosphorus, and iron. This will deplete the roots and make it hard for the thistle to survive. The basal leaves are up to 30 cm long, form a rosette and are somewhat leathery and toothed with the teeth sometimes prickly. Also in this family of plants are the Dwarf Mallow (Malva neglecta) and the Tall Mallow (Malva sylvestris) with its much larger, attractive pink- mauve flowers. 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. This work, Victorian Resources Online, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The perennial sow thistle (Sonchus arvensis) is often confused with the annual sow thistle (Sonchus oleraceus). According to Pat Collins well-known herbalist, teacher and author, some botanists believe that it has been in Australia for thousands of years. Its increasing abundance appears to be associated with factors such as no-till cropping systems and, in southern Australia, the intensification of lentils in cropping sequences. Cut down the thistle to its base to stress the roots. For information about DJPR please contact: National Relay Service: 133 677 or relayservice.gov.au, Email: customer.service@ecodev.vic.gov.au. But it’s actually true. Variegated thistle is sometimes incorrectly referred to as Scotch thistle. ©Harry Rose (Macleay Grass Man)/via flickr - CC BY 2.0: Basal rosette: Sonchus asper (spiny sow-thistle); rosette, with developing leaves. 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. Naturalised throughout Australia. Family: Asteraceae Lifecycle: Annual Seasons of Growth: Autumn / Spring. We ask you to seek prior approval to use images using the VRO feedback form. May 2014. It infests about one million hectares of the tablelands of NSW and small areas in the ACT, Victoria and Tasmania. The first leaves (cotyledons) are round with a slightly toothed margin with a few spines. Common sowthistle (aka milk thistle, Sonchus oleraceus) is a problematic weed in broadacre cropping systems across Australia. Sow Thistle is known also as Milk Thistle here is Australia due to its white sap inside the stem. Being high in vitamins and minerals makes an excellent tonic. My advice was to slash it off and use it as green manure, and leave the yards until other plants took advantage of the resultant fertility. Please note: Not all unblock requests will be successful as it is dependent on how your IP address is being blocked. Both are very similar in habit, distribution and appearance. Common Sow-thistle can differ in leaf shape and overall appearance. It can be seen from this blog how important it is to know your plants. Stem and leaves "The stems are ridged lengthwise (i.e. Because it requires a period of chilling (vernalisation), nodding thistle is confined to cool temperate areas in Australia. Sow Thistle. Marshmallow (Althea officinalis) is a valuable European herb with high mucilage used for alleviating scours and ulceration of the gut. of Primary Industries, Water and the Environment, Tasmania. Prickly Sow-Thistle, Spiny Sow-Thistle, Spiny-Leaved Sow-Thistle, Sharp-Fringed Sow-Thistle : Status: Native to Europe. Horses are unlikely to eat it unless they have little else to eat, especially in terms of green. Flowers are mainly pink-purple although there are … Sowthistle uses stored soil water during fallows and interferes with crop harvest, adding green matter to harvested grain. 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). Sonchus oleraceus), also known as milk thistle, is widespread across the grain-growing regions of Queensland and northern New South Wales. Horses seem to partake of small quantities at different times in its growth so apart from its very annoying seeds which stick in manes and tails, it won’t hurt them. Even though it is to know your plants by horses fallows and interferes with crop harvest, adding matter... Overtaken some yards infests about one million hectares of the Malva family with the teeth sometimes.... This sappy thistle, rejoices in the Latin name Bidens pilosa thistle to its base to stress the.! 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