Sonchus oleraceus is a medicinal plant native to Asia

Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

 and 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...

, which is nutritious

Nutrition

Nutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with a healthy diet....

 food

Food

Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...

 for human

Human

Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...

s and most livestock

Livestock

Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...

.

Nutritive qualities

The common name

Common name

A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...

 Sow thistle refers to its attractiveness to swine and the similarity of the leaf

Leaf

A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....

 to the ear

Ear

The ear is the organ that detects sound. It not only receives sound, but also aids in balance and body position. The ear is part of the auditory system....

 of a pig

Pig

A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...

, while the oleraceus portion of the Latin name refers to its delectable nature http://www.arthurleej.com/a-sowthistle.html (sonchus refers to the hollow stem

Plant stem

A stem is one of two main structural axes of a vascular plant. The stem is normally divided into nodes and internodes, the nodes hold buds which grow into one or more leaves, inflorescence , conifer cones, roots, other stems etc. The internodes distance one node from another...

). Another common name Hare's thistle refers to its beneficial effects and attractiveness for hare

Hare

Hares and jackrabbits are leporids belonging to the genus Lepus. Hares less than one year old are called leverets. Four species commonly known as types of hare are classified outside of Lepus: the hispid hare , and three species known as red rock hares .Hares are very fast-moving...

 and rabbit

Rabbit

Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...

s.

It also has been ascribed medicinal

Medicine

Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....

 qualities similar to dandelion and succory.http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/s/sowthi71.html Leaves are usually the part which people eat, and they are useful as salad greens, or cooked like spinach. Blanching or boiling removes bitter flavour. Nutritional analysis reveals 30 – 40 mg of vitamin C per 100g, 1.2% protein, 0.3% fat, 2.4% carbohydrate.

Leaf dry weight analysis http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Sonchus+oleraceus shows per 100g (likely to vary with growing conditions):

45g Carbohydrate, 28g protein, 22g ash, 5.9g fibre, 4.5g fat; in all, providing 265 calories.

Minerals

Calcium: 1500 mg

Phosphorus: 500 mg

Iron: 45.6 mg

Magnesium: 0 mg

Sodium: 0 mg

Potassium: 0 mg

Zinc: 0 mg;

Vitamins

A: 35 mg

Thiamine (B₁): 1.5 mg

Riboflavin (B₂): 5 mg

Niacin: 5 mg

B₆: 0 mg

C: 60 mg

Cultivation

This plant is considered an invasive species

Invasive species

"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....

 in many parts of the world, where it is found mostly in disturbed areas. It spreads by seed which is carried by wind or water, and can often be controlled by mowing as it does not regrow from root fragments. This is one of the species used in Chinese cuisine

Chinese cuisine

Chinese cuisine is any of several styles originating in the regions of China, some of which have become highly popular in other parts of the world – from Asia to the Americas, Australia, Western Europe and Southern Africa...

 as kŭcài (苦菜; lit. bitter vegetable).

Botanical characteristics

The flowers are hermaphrodite, and common pollinators include bee

Bee

Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently classified by the unranked taxon name Anthophila...

s or flies.http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Sonchus+oleraceus Prefers full sun, but can tolerate most soil conditions.

Medicinal value

Sonchus oleraceus has a variety of medicinal uses.http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Sonchus+oleraceus Parts of the plant have been used variously to stimulate menstrual flow, alter liver function, stimulate fluid elimination, stall defecation, and to combat cancer, warts, inflammation and fever.

Control

Attempts at 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...

 control by herbicidal

Herbicide

Herbicides, also commonly known as weedkillers, are pesticides used to kill unwanted plants. Selective herbicides kill specific targets while leaving the desired crop relatively unharmed. Some of these act by interfering with the growth of the weed and are often synthetic "imitations" of plant...

use, to the neglect of other methods, may have led to a proliferation of this species in some environments.http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/26_14471.htm

External links

• Annual Sow-thistle (Sonchus oleraceus) Photos, Drawings, Text. (Wild Plants of Winnipeg from Nature Manitoba)