Asteraceae

Spiny sowthistle

Sonchus asper (L.) Hill

Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Sonchus

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Spiny sowthistle (Sonchus asper) — FlowerPhoto: Douglas Goldman, CC BY-SA 4.0, from iNaturalist

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Common names

By language (26)

Arabic: تفاف جاسئ, تفاف جاسىء
Asturian: Cenraya
Catalan: Lletsó punxós
Chinese: 北叶滇苦菜；花叶滇苦菜, 大叶苣荬菜, 断续菊, 朝鲜一枝黄花, 续断菊, 花叶滇苦菜, 花葉滇苦菜, 鬼苦苣菜
Czech: Mléč drsný
Danish: Ru Svinemælk
Dutch: Gekroesde melkdistel, Ruwe melkdistel
English: Spiny sowthistle, Prickly sow-thistle, Prickly sowthistle, Sharp-fringed sow thistle, Spiny milk thistle, Spiny milkthistle, Spiny sow thistle, Spiny sow-thistle
Finnish: Otavalvatti
French: Laiteron piquant, Laiteron épineux
German: Raue Gänsedistel, Rauhe Gänsedistel
gv: Bee muc friogganagh
Italian: Grespino spinoso
Japanese: オニノゲシ, 鬼野芥子
Korean: 큰방가지똥
Norwegian Bokmål: Stivdylle
nv: Azeeʼ hókánii łibáhígíí
pcd: Lancheron pipique
Polish: Mlecz kolczasty
Quechua: Khishka khishka, Kichka-kichka lichi-lichi, Yuyu k'ana, Yuyu khana
Russian: Осот шероховатый
Scottish Gaelic: Searbhan Muice
Slovak: Mlieč drsný
Spanish: Cardimuelle, Cardinche, Cardinchi, Cardo lechera, Cardo lecherín, Cardo lincherín, Cerrayas, Latazín
Swedish: Svinmjölktistel, Svinmolke, Svintistel
Welsh: Llaethysgallen arw

Synonyms

Sonchus aemulus Merino
Sonchus asper f. asper
Sonchus asper subsp. euasper Hayek
Sonchus asper var. asper
Sonchus asper var. glanduliferus Garrett
Sonchus asper var. horridus Schur
Sonchus asper var. inermis Bisch.
Sonchus asper var. integer Schur
Sonchus asper var. orientalis Degen
Sonchus asper var. pinnatisectus Lojac.
Sonchus asper var. pinnatus Schur
Sonchus asper var. pungens Bisch.
Sonchus asper var. rigidus Baumg.
Sonchus asper var. setosoglandulosus Hausm.
Sonchus asper var. simplicifolius Schur
Sonchus asper var. spinosus Neilr.
Sonchus asper var. sulphureus Boiss.
Sonchus australis hort. ex Colla
Sonchus borderi Gand.
Sonchus carolinianus Walter
Sonchus crocifolius hort. ex Sch.Bip.
Sonchus cuspidatus Blume
Sonchus decipiens Zenari
Sonchus eryngiifolius Sosn.
Sonchus eryngioides DC.
Sonchus fallax Wallr.
Sonchus fallax var. asper Wallr.
Sonchus fallax var. decipiens De Not.
Sonchus fallax var. fallax
Sonchus fallax var. laevis Wallr.
Sonchus ferox Wall.
Sonchus glaber Thunb.
Sonchus infestus Poepp. ex DC.
Sonchus oleraceus Wall.
Sonchus oleraceus f. runcinatus Fiori
Sonchus oleraceus subsp. asper (L.) Ehrh.
Sonchus oleraceus var. asper L.
Sonchus runcinatus (Fiori) Zenari
Sonchus spinosus Lam.
Sonchus spinulosus Bigel.

and 5 more.

Flowers

In flower: January to November (from 2,466 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)

Characteristics

Growth habit: Forb/herb
Lifespan: Annual
In the US and Canada: Alaska: introduced, Canada: introduced, Hawaii: introduced, Lower 48 states: introduced, Puerto Rico: introduced, St. Pierre and Miquelon: introduced

Photos

FlowerPhoto: Douglas Goldman, CC BY-SA 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: Duarte Frade, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: 葉子, CC0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: M. Whitson, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Gavin Slater, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Michelle W. （鍾偉瑋）, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons

More in Sonchus

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.