Sow Thistles - Identification, Description and Some Edible and Medicinal Uses

[@christinamarrone7520]

I found these growing in my yard I did a Google image search and determined I would keep them❤ and use them for their medicinal uses. Thank you

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Excellent! You're welcome and thank you, too!

[@lawg3515]

Wow. Great to see this video and thanks for sharing. Where I come from we also have sow-thistle and we also prepare and eat. The young leaves are usually the best tasting. This is boiled with fatty meat such as brisket or pork, sweet potatoes or potatoes added last. This to us is a delicacy. The sourness complements the fatty taste of the meat you use.🙂 We also use it as a poultice to keep a wound clean. This allows the wound to heal without issues of infection. The young leaves are best to use for this. I would take a few leaves and crush them in the palm of my hand until the juices start to come out. I would then apply it on the top of the wound and then wrap it with a bandage. I will also apply if it is already showing infection with pus. By the next morning, the wound is usually clean. This is done in the morning, and another is applied in the evening until the healing is underway. Once again, thank you from New Zealand.😊

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Great tips! Thank you so much!

[@ladyela9283]

Great video; thank you! I purposefully let my "weeds" grow this year in order to see if I can ID them. I've taken screenshots and I've identified that I do have Sow Thislte. Thank you, again!

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

You're welcome! I'm glad it was helpful! Thank you, too!

[@arilego1]

I'm saying you are my new go-to herb study presenter. My attention is present as I learn. This is important to me.

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate that!

[@OutWestSomewhere]

Fantastic, informative video, thank you so much!! I began letting sow thistle and dandelions grow in my yard this summer. I harvest the young leaves for salads. Once the plant bolts, I pull it out of the ground, wash it off with water and cut it up as finely as I can, the leaves, stems, flowers, roots, etc. I then place those fine cuttings into a glass pitcher and pour very hot (not boiling) water and let it steep for a few hours. I use a sieve to strain it. Place in fridge to get cold in preparation for iced tea. I'm really hoping the health benefits are great! 😊

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Oh, that sounds like a good idea. Thank you!

[@OutWestSomewhere]

@@OkanaganGardenerandForager Absolutely ❤️ I do a ratio of 4 cups of water and 1 whole big thistle plant or a couple of mid size plants. I make it a bit stronger so that when the ice starts to melt, it won't make the tea too weak. I hope you enjoy (: P.S. This summer is also the first time I've grown chamomile. I harvested some of the fresh flowers and made the most delicious iced chamomile tea I'd ever experienced! Nothing at the grocery stores had ever compared, IMO.

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

@@OutWestSomewhere yum! These both sound very refreshing!

[@purplethumb7887]

Very thorough video. Thank you. I found one in the yard, gently pulled it up, and potted it. It recovered just fine. I have the annual. Hoping to be able to save the seeds to sow.

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Thank you! Good luck. I hope it worked!

[@jessegreywolf]

very informative, thanks for sharing

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

You're welcome! Thank you, too!

[@emmalee478]

Those flowers look good!

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

I agree. Thank you!

[@carriebeard-R.I.T.S]

Interesting! Do they have any dangerous look-a-likes? Thanks for comparing to prickly lettuce. Very helpful

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

You're welcome! I think their most common look-alikes are dandelion, chicory, and prickly lettuce, and all of those are also edible. Those are the ones that come to mind for me at least in my area. I hope that helps. Thank you!

[@Gotdurt]

Yes, Common Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris) and Texas Groundsel (Senecio ampullaceus)

[@christywhitley6053]

@@Gotdurtthank you! I’ve never heard of this before, but looked it up thanks to you.

[@snehachauhan0300]

This video has helped me a lot🤩 thank you so much for sharing. I was looking for some information because i have this beautiful plant growing in my garden which i never planted and now i realised its Sonchus oleraceus, thanks to your video😊. I love this plant and its so beautiful, sometimes i get worried because i have cats and they like to destroy the plants by chewing them, i just hope its not harmful for them.

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

You're welcome! Thank you, too!

[@StevenCallaghan-xe3xl]

Thanks for the info 👍

[@PreppingWithSarge]

love this! very good explanations, especially regarding her close relatives. In my coast South Carolina area, I tend to find more of the prickly lettuce. Thanks!

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

I found a lot more prickly lettuce this year, and last year I thought I saw more sow-thistle. It's interesting the variability region to region and year to year. Thank you!

[@lenaforeman9044]

Thanks for sharing!

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

@@lenaforeman9044 you're welcome! Thank you, too!

[@baharazari5556]

Dear sir Thanks for your information Would you please explain different between lettecua and sow thistes ? Sow thistles are painkiller like lettecua ? King regards

[@JennyHopeHope-d8h]

Thanks for sharing xxx

[@Polymath9000]

Can it be used for pain relief

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

The leaves have been used as poultices to relieve swelling and inflammation, so I think that could also help with some pain. Thank you!

[@MrBigdaddy2ya]

Was that nightshade near the end of the video mixed in with the sow thistle. Is groundsel a poisonous look alike of sow thistle?

[@kristensmith3079]

Do you know how these compare with spiny sow thistle?

[@saidurrahman-mz2xe]

I want to use this plant and leaves and flowers as feed in my poultry farm how reasonable would it be?

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

I've never tried it myself, but from what I've seen you can tell pretty quickly if chickens like something or not. Sorry, I don't know for sure!

[@jacquelynking2184]

I was weeding yesterday and for the first time ever I saved the dandelion weed and cooked it. It was hard to chew, really got stuck in my teeth. But, watching this, it's possible it was a Sow Thistle? I'm not sure. I'm new at this. But what I pulled up was on the ground, no flowers and not a stalk. (But I pulled it pretty early). However, there was another weed in another garden that is a tall, possibly 2 or 3 feet, I went to pull it and quit because it was stabbing me. Is THAT a Sow Thistle? (No flowers yet) If so, it is safe to eat being so prickly? Talk about ROUGHAGE, LOL.

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

It's hard to say without seeing it. If it had prickles, maybe it was prickly lettuce? Sorry, I'm not sure. Good luck!

[@LexyLexer]

Good video

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Thank you!

[@Angelofloveandhappiness]

I was looking for wild lettuce but this sow thistle is all i could find. In in NC. This has a lot of purple in it. Idk if its sow thistle. The stem and veins are purple

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

I often find them growing in similar places. Keep your eyes open and hopefully you will find some soon! Good luck!

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

There's another comment on this video from somebody in South Carolina who is finding prickly lettuce, so hopefully you can find some in your area, too!

[@nitabrothern8292]

I'm

[@regisspeaks1497]

I got sow thistle in my yard but it's hard for me to tell if it's the toxic one or not. 😅

[@godrilla5549]

I just fried up a stalk, I should have picked a younger one but tasty in olive oil.

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Nice. I was eating them out of the garden yesterday while I was weeding.

[@godrilla5549]

@@OkanaganGardenerandForager weeding time can also be snack time.

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

@@godrilla5549 Haha! Yes!

[@navyboymommygramma]

I saw Okanogan and had to do a double take. Not quite the Okanogan I was hoping for but close enough hahaha I'm right across the border.

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Yes, pretty close! Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!

[@michu00ify]

My favorite pick me up!!!!

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Awesome! What do you like about sow thistle?

[@davidrichards9654]

Does it need disturbed soil to germinate ?

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

I'm not sure. I see it germinating in all kinds of different places around me, so I think it can tolerate lots of different conditions.

[@Zamal512]

This is very useful information, Thank You!! I'm always curious about eating plants that appeal to me since I was very young and I have tried some without even knowing them but I always chew a little piece and throw it out and if it seems good I eat a little but now I'm trying to learn and be safe and I saw a plant that was growing in one of my pots and first thought was to eat it, it seems so good so I'm trying to find out which is it. It's very similar to this one the only difference is that it doesn't have the milky sap when you cut it, it's hollow. If anybody has information, thanks for sharing

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

You're welcome! I'm glad it's useful! I'm not sure what the plant is. This video compares sow thistle and prickly lettuce which I think looks similar. Sow thistle as far as I know does have a hollow stem. kzbin.infoFI7ngb92pIo?feature=share

[@Angus1966]

thought i was eating dandelion , turns out i was eating sow thistle . luckily it is edible

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Nice!

[@ciscoterres717]

and all this time I thought the weeds infesting my yard were dandelions. They're sow thistles.

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Thanks for watching!

[@Arya-kg9dc]

👌👀🌹

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

🙂

[@jeffg4686]

@6:15 "Apparently their quite popular with pigs" - smile (why the smile?)

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

I'm not sure. I think I was imagining a group of pigs talking about the kinds of food they like or something like that, haha!

[@Salulu963]

More uses I discovered: The whole plant can be used (roots and all) to practice your weed pulling skills. And the seed puffs can be used to make wishes! Just blow them. Each wish creates hundreds more wishes. Pretty neat. Haha. Thanks for the vid, man. Was wondering what these are. Big year for them . I didn't have any in my garden last year:) Peace

[@chrisgriffin9164]

it would have been better if you showed the two differences with the baby plants. those old plants are no good once they flower, good for only birds.

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

@@chrisgriffin9164 good suggestion! Thanks!

[@-mike--m-9629]

Not quite true. The butterfly's & Wild honey Bees absolutely love the flowers here in Florida. They're all on them right now.

[@upgrade1015]

I though you were going to talk about what the uses were ?

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Some of the uses are discussed starting at about 5:22.

[@walkwithhim5258]

The main thing I know this plant for is pain relief. Why is it being overlooked for that

[@nvjoy67]

People get this plant confused with wild lettuce.

[@pustomkumar8165]

In Asia these types of plants are different than you identifying

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

That's interesting. I love to see the different plants that grow in other areas! Thank you!

[@wisernow624]

Can you tell us the uses where you are?

[@m.alloryhawley4542]

Are you married 🤩

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Haha! Yes, I am!

[@-mike--m-9629]

Lol better luck next time 😁😊

[@hayleymchendry2378]

Are your hands and mouth made of leather?! The sow thistle in my yard HURTS!

[@OkanaganGardenerandForager]

Haha! No, but I do get poked sometimes. Maybe I just managed to not show it in the video!