Seasonal Wild Flowers

Common Blue-sow-thistle

Cicerbita macrophylla

Asteraceae

June to September

It is scattered throughout the country, but is less common

in the North, eastern areas and the far Southwest.

See the BSBI distribution map for Common Blue-sow

It is a neophyte which was first grown in UK gardens

in 1820s and first recorded as naturalised in the 1910s.

It grows on waste ground and hedge banks by rivers,

ponds and roads.

It is increasing.

Common Blue-sow-thistle is a tall, rhizomatous, perennial

herb, growing up to 2m.

The flowers are lilac and up to 3cm across.

The upper stems have sticky hairs (unlike other Blue-sow

-thistles).

The leaves have triangular lobes and clasp the stem, as

in other Sow Thistles.

The lower leaves are downy underneath.

Although tall and straggly, Common Blue-sow-thistle is an

aggressive coloniser and can form large patches. due to its

long rhizomes,

Common Blue-sow-thisle, Corscombe, Dorset

Florets

Buds and flowers - seen from below

Sticky hairs on upper stems

Leaves

Downy undersurface of lower leaf (right)

Habit - tall and straggly, on a hedgebank