A yellow flowering weed, common in southeastern Wisconsin.
Plant Type
All Plants, Weeds
Sunlight
full
Soil & Site
average, waste lands, fields
Flowers
small pale yellow, dandelion type flowers, throughout the summer
Fruit
Achene’s (seeds) form a parachute of fine hair or down (pappus) that is caught by the wind to disseminate the seeds.
Leaves
spiny, alternate, heart shaped, clasping the stem, get progressively smaller and have less spines up the stem, white milky sap
Stems
has glanular hairs
Roots
short tap root
Dimensions
1'-5' tall
Propagation
it reproduces by seeds
Native Site
Western Asia, northern Africa and Europe, found throughout most of USA
Misc Facts
Has been used as food for rabbits giving it many come names such as Hare's Thistle, Hare's Lettuce. Also eaten by pigs, goats and sheep. Horses will not touch it?? Asper means rough, referring to the spiny leaves.
Notes & Reference
#07- Newcomb's Wildflower Guide (Newcomb)
,#14-Hedge maids and Fairy Candles (Jack Sanders)
, #19-Common Weeds ( USDA Agricultural Research Service), #157-The Sunflower Family in the Upper Midwest (Thomas Antonio, Susanne Masi)