# What is this red stemmed, hairy and lobed plant?



## MilkandHoney (Nov 25, 2006)

What is this plant?

More info:
1) located in Yellow Pine Chapparel High Desert in California at 4,500 ft
2) on a sunny slope with clay and sand soil
3) mixed in with hare foxtail, wild oats, silver tipped lupine, poppies and a variety of mustard
4) it is hairy (stem and leaves), hollow stem and some white sap/latex/milky
5) the leaves feel sticky when touched bare handed 
6) most were 8 to 12 " tall but some significantly larger in dia. and height. 
7) Has a yellow flower

Photos below


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## MilkandHoney (Nov 25, 2006)

One more pic


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## MilkandHoney (Nov 25, 2006)

Hairy stem and leaves


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

I think it is a Wild Lettuce variety.
It looks a little different from what I have, but you are in a different environment.

I use it medicinally on occasion as a sleep aid.


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## MilkandHoney (Nov 25, 2006)

Just found some with yellow flowers


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## MilkandHoney (Nov 25, 2006)

Flower pic


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## MilkandHoney (Nov 25, 2006)

Flower photo


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## MilkandHoney (Nov 25, 2006)

After seeing the bloom I have to believe this to be Blessed Thistle / Cnicus benedictus. Y/N?

http://blog.metmuseum.org/cloistersgardens/2010/07/30/blessed-thistle/




.


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## Paumon (Jul 12, 2007)

I think that is Prickly Sow Thistle you have there. There are 3 types of Sow thistle:

https://www.google.ca/search?q=Pric.....1ac.1.34.heirloom-serp..2.6.639.CYMK2rKPHzc


http://old.gardenorganic.org.uk/organicweeds/weed_information/weed.php?id=74


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## MilkandHoney (Nov 25, 2006)

I'll look at the sow thistle in detail. Do the sow thistles have spines on the leaves?


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## Paumon (Jul 12, 2007)

Some of them get nasty spines, usually getting bigger on the larger more mature plants, some just have small prickles or coarse hairs. Sow thistles grow on all continents all over the world and some adapt different protective characteristics in accordance with their environment and climate. On the following Australian website scroll down and click on the pictures, you will see some good examples of the leaf colors and types of spines. http://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/w...d04-0605030c0f01/media/Html/Sonchus_asper.htm

Just for your information, some of the sow thistles share the same appearance and the edible/medicinal characteristics of dandelion and young common sow thistle in spring is often mistaken as dandelion. In spring it may be used as a substitute for dandelion and the larger spring flowers can be eaten or used to make (dandelion) wine. In the spring the sow thistle rosette leaves are more tender, the flowers are larger and grow on individual stems close to the ground. In summer and autumn the same plant will bloom again only with very spiny and/or hairy coarse leaves on tall, tough fibrous stems and the flowers are smaller growing in clusters.


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## MilkandHoney (Nov 25, 2006)

Thanks for the sow thistle info. I looked at that and more on the blessed thistle again. I could find dead ringer photos of the leaves with identification calling this blessed thistle while I could not locate any sow thistle photos with that close of a resemblance. That being said I also found a fair number of photos with a name of blessed thistle with leaves that were more of an elongated spade shape. So I went back and stated looking at sources and cut out all of the non-scientific sites and that did not help. So then I started reviewing drawings from earlier centuries and discovered none that looked like my plant named sow or blessed. 
The search continues.


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

You might look to your county ag extension, master gardeners too - all kinds of "blessed" thistles come around these days and they're the ones tasked with being on top of it. 

Use the flower color to eliminate a lot of class A and B weeds - they're most often purple, like the blessed milk thistle Silybum marianum: http://calweedmapper.cal-ipc.org/plant-profiles/

Maybe something like golden thistle (and the best website - encycloweedia!):http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/ipc/weedinfo/winfo_photogal-frameset.htm


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

Found this link if it helps. http://www.gardenguides.com/100617-identify-thistle.html


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## Lizbet (May 1, 2014)

We always called it goat's beard; 
I don't know if the name is just a local one.


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## Sedona (Aug 16, 2007)

If you can, ask this of the most local Indian tribe that uses this land as their usual and accustomed hunting and foraging. Native medicine is all about using plants like the one you've inquired about. Don't be pushy, just express an interest in learning about medicinal plants in the area. Good luck.


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