Sow thistle, whose scientific name is sonchus oleraceus, is a species of flowering plant in the asteraceae family native to Europe and western Asia.
It has many other names, including sow thistle, smooth sow thistle, annual sow thistle, hare's colwort, hare's thistle, milky tassel, milk thistle, and is a 30-100 cm tall annual herb with hollow, erect stems.
The leaves are usually eaten as a fresh vegetable by local people or can also be cooked like spinach.
The young leaves are less bitter and can be eaten raw, while the bitter old leaves are steamed to remove the bitterness.
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