Unidentified Weed

[PMJ]

This weed appeared in my garden. It has a hollow stem. I thought it was a sow thistle but the leaves are on stalks.

[Dorts]

Smooth Sow-thistle - Sonchus oleraceus.

This is the commonest of our Sow-thistles, which always cause confusion. Both Smooth and Prickly Sow-thistles can be very variable which doesn't help.

On Smooth Sow-thistle the lower leaves are less clasping and may appear to be stemmed, but there is usually some small part of leaf still clasping the stem.

Rough Sow-thisle leaves are almost entire, and are generally more prickly.
Dorts.

[Johnny81]

Do we get any hybridization in Sonchus species? Might be opening a can of worms here...

[Dorts]

Originally Posted by Johnny81

Do we get any hybridization in Sonchus species? Might be opening a can of worms here...

The hybrid between the two common Sow-thistles, Sonchus asper x oleraceus has been recorded but is very rare.
Dorts.