Pollinator plant

prickly sowthistle

Sonchus asper

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Common names

45 names · 33 languages
EnglishYour language
+5 more namesShow fewer names
  • Spiney Sowthistle[1]
  • Spiny Annual Sowthistle[2][3]
  • spiny sow thistle[2][3]
  • Spiny Sowthistle[2][3]
  • Spiny-leaved Sow-thistle[1]
Other languages (32)
Dutch
French
  • laiteron rude et laiteron glauque[2][3]
Afrikaans
  • doringsydissel[3]
  • gewone sydissel[3]
Arabic
  • تفاف جاسئ[3]
  • جعضيض خشن[3]
  • خرم مر[3]
Bulgarian
  • Бодлив кострец[3]
Catalan
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 续断菊[3]
  • 花叶滇苦菜[3]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 鬼苦苣菜[3]
Czech
  • mléč drsný[3]
Danish
  • Ru svinemælk[3]
Estonian
  • kare piimohakas[3]
Finnish
  • otavalvatti[3]
German
Greek
  • Ζωχός ο αγκαθωτός[3]
Hebrew
  • מרור מכחיל[3]
Hungarian
  • szúrós csorbóka[3]
Irish
  • Bleachtán colgach[3]
Italian
Japanese
  • オニノゲシ[3]
Korean
  • 큰방가지똥[3]
Lithuanian
  • Šiurkščioji pienė[3]
Mapudungun
Norwegian
Polish
  • Mlecz kolczasty[3]
Portuguese
Russian
  • Осот шероховатый[3]
Slovak
  • mlieč drsný[3]
Slovenian
  • hrapava škrbinka[3]
Spanish
Swedish
Turkish
  • Eşekgevreği[3]
Ukrainian
  • Жовтий осот шорсткий[3]
Sources & name notes (3)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Sonchus asper — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Prickly Sowthistle — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Sonchus asper.
  • Spiney Sowthistle — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Sonchus asper.
  • Spiny-leaved Sow-thistle — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Sonchus asper.
[2] Sonchus asper — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • prickly sowthistle — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Raue Gänsedistel — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Common Sowthistle — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Prickly Sow Thistle — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Spiny Annual Sowthistle — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • spiny sow thistle — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Spiny Sowthistle — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Cerraja — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • laiteron rude et laiteron glauque — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Grespino spinoso — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Gekroesde melkdistel — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Serralha-crespa — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • serralha-áspera — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
[3] Sonchus asper — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • prickly sowthistle — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Raue Gänsedistel — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Common Sowthistle — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Prickly Sow Thistle — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Spiny Annual Sowthistle — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • spiny sow thistle — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Spiny Sowthistle — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Cerraja — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • laiteron rude et laiteron glauque — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Grespino spinoso — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Gekroesde melkdistel — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Serralha-crespa — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • serralha-áspera — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • מרור מכחיל — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • mléč drsný — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • 鬼苦苣菜 — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Ru svinemælk — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • オニノゲシ — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Осот шероховатый — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • stivdylle — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • otavalvatti — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Mlecz kolczasty — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Šiurkščioji pienė — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • تفاف جاسئ — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • خرم مر — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • جعضيض خشن — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • svinmolke — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • kare piimohakas — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Lletsó — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • 큰방가지똥 — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • 花叶滇苦菜 — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Ζωχός ο αγκαθωτός — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Жовтий осот шорсткий — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • doringsydissel — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • gewone sydissel — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Eşekgevreği — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • hrapava škrbinka — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • szúrós csorbóka — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Bleachtán colgach — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • mlieč drsný — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Бодлив кострец — results[0].names[42]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • Troltro — results[0].names[43]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
  • 续断菊 — results[0].names[44]; taxon id 53269; Sonchus asper.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Taxonomy
Sonchus asper is an accepted species in Catalogue of Life.

Taxonomic treatment in the August 2026 release; the catalogue record name is preserved.

Sources [1]
Botanical family
Asteraceae

Family in the cited taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Plant habit
Erect

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Life cycle
Annual

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Rapid

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Moist; Occasionally Dry

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Shallow Rocky

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Spring; Summer

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Native range
Eurasia and North Africa

NC State Extension profile. Origin reported by the source; this is not a claim of local nativeness.

Sources [2]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Medium suitability
Nectar value Unknown
Pollen value Medium
Plant profile

About this plant

prickly sowthistle (Sonchus asper) is a herbaceous plant. It flowers from June to October.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Sonchus asper — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 1240691; ID 4Y96B; rank species; status accepted
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 1240691; ID 4Y96B; rank species; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Sonchus asper — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: Plant habitLife cycleGrowth rateLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureFlowering seasonNative range
    Relevant sections
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Native range: Country Or Region Of Origin

    Source checked on .