| Scientific Name: | Sonchus oleraceus |
| Common Name: | annual sow thistle |
| Family Name: | Asteraceae |
| Origin: | Europe |
| Hardiness Zone: | Zone 4: (-34 to -29 °C) |
| Plant Type: | Annual (true), Weed (horticultural) |
| Mature Size: | 0.7 - 1.3m x 0.3 - 0.6m (height x width) |
| Habit: | Upright |
| Form: | Pyramidal - narrowly |
| Texture: | Medium |
| Landscape Uses: | Herb, Medicinal plant |
| Exposure: | Full sun, Part sun/part shade |
| Soil or Media: | Well-drained |
| Leaves: | Simple, Lobed, Alternate, Prickly, Glabrous, Lanceolate, Oblanceolate, Other, Pinnately lobed, Spinose |
| Flowers: | Head (capitulum), Yellow, Apr-May-Jun-Jul |
| Fruit: | Cypsela (achene + calyx), White, Brown, Jun-Jul-Aug-Sep |
| Key ID Features: | |
| Habit tall, sturdy, dandelion-like with milky sap; leaves lobed with margin spiny; flower heads 1.5-2.5cm wide; short taproot (compared to perennial sow thistle head that are 3-5cm wide and form deep, rhizome-like roots. | |