Spiny Sowthistle

 Note from the Author: This post isn’t technically a redo but more of a full-on correction. On April 7^th 2022, I did a fill write-up about Sow Thistle and did not notice at the time my photos were of Spiny Sowthistle a close relative. So today we have a fully corrected post for all of you to enjoy.

 

 

This Spiny Sowthistle emerged later in spring between stonework in Downtown Fayetteville and has likely been stepped on a few times and possibly string trimmed.

This SPiny Sowthistle was found at the PWC facility in early spring.

 

Common Name: Prickly Sowthistle

 

Other Common Names: Spiney Sowthistle, Spiny-leaved Sow-Thistle, Rough Milk Thistle and, Sharp-Fringed Sow Thistle.

 

Botanical Family: Asteraceae (The Aster Family)

 

Botanical Latin Name: Sonchus asper

 

Description & Habitat: Prickly Sowthistle is a cool-season annual or biennial that can reach a height of six feet tall. When found in the urban landscape however, this non-native plant is often less than half of the aforementioned height. A prickly Sowthistle’s leaves are in alternate arrangement on the plant’s hollow stems and the leaves are roughly lanceolate in shape. The leaf shape can vary somewhat due to curls and lobes on the leaf which can cause misidentification as Prickly Sowthistle can sometimes resemble Prickly Lettuce or a number of other members of the Aster family. There also appears to be some variation on leaf shape relative to where this plant’s seed germinates and when it germinates. Prickly Sowthistle can be found in disturbed sites like roadsides, fields, railroad intersections, and in embankments. It also will appear in garden beds, between the cracks of concrete or asphalt and in fields, yards and occasionally in potted outdoor plants. The best time to look for this plant is in spring while the plants are small, but developed enough to tell them from other similar looking cool-season annuals.

 

When & What to Harvest: With Prickly Sowthistle, the parts you want are mainly the leaves while they are no longer than 4”. The taproot before the plant flowers is viable as a food source also the flowers can be used in the same ways one might use Dandelion blossoms.

 

Edible Related Plants: Annual Sowthistle (S. oleraceus).

 

Similar Dangerous Species:  None are known.

 

Recipe:  Sautéed Sow Thistle

 

4 cups of chopped young (1-4" long leaves) Spiny Sowthistle

Butter or oil

1 cup of Bone broth (any other form of broth can be substituted)

1 tsp of dried garlic (4 cloves if fresh)

1 tsp. flour

Salt and pepper to taste

 

1. Wash your greens thoroughly and cut away the spiny bits if they are too firm.

2. Heat the oil/butter in your pan and then add the leaves.

3. Stir the leaves to make sure they get a nice coating of the oil.

4. Bring the pan with the leaves to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes.

5. Add the garlic the flour and the salt and pepper.

6. Stir everything and add another tablespoon of butter or oil and cook until the greens are fully soft.

7. Serve with rice.

 

Additional Information: (If applicable)

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/sonchus-asper/

 

Where to get Seed or Bare Root Plants:

As far as I know, there is no credible vendor that sells the seeds for this plant.

 

With all that garden goodness covered this is the part of the blog where I have to advertise for the Fayetteville City Market. Now I know you readers probably don’t much like advertisements, but my booth at the City Market helps to cover the costs of running the test garden and literally maintains the Research & Development budget that is used to bring you the information that has made up the backbone of this blog.  In addition to being able to process card payments we now take CashApp payments so your payment options for my product have tripled. With that said; if you want to get some GMO-free, Organic fruit, herbs, flowers and perennials, come on down to the Fayetteville City Market on 325 Maxwell Street in downtown Fayetteville between the hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturdays. Even in bad weather the market goes on though you might have to look for me under the ‘arches’ of the Transportation Museum’s front entryway.

 

For those of you wondering what plants are going to be at the market this weekend here is the list.

 

Spring Plants:

Chicory, Italian

Chicory, Garnet Stem

Ground Cherries, Perennial

Okra, Baby Bubba

Okra, Iraqi Bamia

Pepper, Ghost

Pepper, Serrano

Pepper, Hungarian Wax Banana

Pepper, Bull’s Horn

Pepper, Mad Hatter

Pepper, Purple Bell

Rice, Upland

Spinach, Egyptian

Tomato, Cherokee Purple

Tomato, Chocolate Cherry

Tomato, Midnight Snack

Tomato, Lemon Boy

Tomato, Brown Sugar

 

Herbs:

Basil, Holy

Chives

Milk Thistle

Morenga

Savory, Summer

 

Ornamental & Flowers:

Castor Bean, Giant

Flowering Maple, ‘Orange Hot Lava’

 

Soil Amendment Products:

Carolina Gold, Live Mushroom Compost – 18 Gallon Tote*

Carolina Gold, Live Mushroom Compost – 3 Gallon Bag

Carolina Gold, Live Mushroom Compost – 1 Gallon Bag

 

*The 18 gallon tote is by special order only and is delivered to any address within the Fayetteville city area.

 

How to stay in Contact with Us!

All you need to keep up with all our activities is to have a Nextdoor account and to look for the ‘Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’ group and ask to join! You don’t have to live in Fayetteville to join us! Feel free to ask all your garden questions of our knowledgeable membership and post your cool garden pictures.

 

Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville

 

Also please take a gander at the YouTube version of this blog:

The Videos: Look Here

>Newest videos (1): Za’atar

 

Meetings are still going on! Our next (unofficial) meeting is May 10^th at the Fayetteville City Market at 325 Franklin Street between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm.

 

Cat's Ear Dandelion II

 Note from the Author: This is an update on a weed I briefly covered on March 14^th 2019 and again briefly on February 23^rd, 2024

 

 

This Cat's Ear Dandelion thinks your landscape edging sucks!

Look at those lobes!

These young Cat's Ear Dandelions are the right size for transplant, just don't eat the red shroom.

This specimen was seen growing through a tiny crack at the Cumberland County School Bus Garage bay door. It's a perfect example of how nature cannot really be stopped.

This is a great example of Smooth Cat's Ear Dandelion (H. glabra)

 

 

Common Name: Cat’s Ear Dandelion

 

Other Common Names: Flatweed, Australian Cape Weed, California Dandelion, False Dandelion, Frogbit, Gosmore, Hairy Cat’s Ear, Rough Cat’s Ear and Spotted Cat’s Ear

 

Botanical Family: Asteraceae (The Aster Family)

 

Botanical Latin Name: Hypochaeris radicata

 

Description & Habitat: Cat’s Ear Dandelion is a non-native perennial plant that array’s its leaves in a basal rosette. The leaves of this plant have a lobed margin and are somewhat fuzzy and typically a glossy but rich green color. This plant has a lot of common names and the names tell you just one thing, that this plant is very well known. Cat’s Ear Dandelion is botanically known as (Hypochaeris radicata), and it is despite the name ‘False Dandelion’ in the Aster family meaning it is related to true Dandelions (Taraxacum sp.). That name also tells us other things ‘radicata’ means ‘rooted’ which is a reference to this plant’s at-times multiple taproots while ‘hypochaeris’ by some translations means ‘for the hogs’ as pics like to dig  and eat the roots. When we examine this plant on a physical level it has a lot of the same physical features. So, it has a taproot,  it also has milky latex sap, the leaves are of similar shape and it’s seeds heads from puff balls where the seeds can float away on little silky parachutes. The differences between this plant and true Dandelions are its lack of hollow stems in the flowers and that its leaves have coarse fuzz on them. Additionally Cat’s Ear Dandelions tend to grow closer to the ground and can form large rosettes but are very resilient against mowing. But that Rosette did not evolve because of lawn mowing it came about to suppress competing plants and as part of its drought resilience. These plants are drought resistant because of their ability to produce more than one taproot and their leaf shape and arrangement which funnels water from the morning dew or rain to the crown so the roots can suck it up.

 

 

When & What to Harvest: All parts of this plant can be consumed however the roots are typically used to make a tincture to deal with Liver and gallbladder issues while the leaves and flowers are often eaten raw or cooked. If you want less bitter flavored greens pick the leaves when young or cook the leaves and or flowers to destroy some of the bitterness.

 

Edible Related Plants: True Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), Chicory (Chicorum intybus), Tall Lettuce (Lactuca canadensis), Prickly Lettuce (Lactuca serriola) and, Carolina Desert Chicory (Pyrrhopappus carolinianus).

 

Similar Dangerous Species:  None are known.

 

Recipe:  

While I do lack a formal recipe for using this plant I do have a few suggestions based on how I use it for you. Cat’s Ear Dandelion can be used for all the same things as its more famous cousin however these plants can be bitter when eaten raw in a forage salad. The trick there is the get newer softer leaves if you intend to eat them raw and in a forage salad try to pair the greens with a bold or robust Italian dressing. For some the fuzz on the leaves is a deal breaker and that is understandable but there are two ways to neutralize that problem and a bunch of the bitterness that comes from using older hairier leaves. Cooking will essentially melt the stuff the fuzz is made up of and will destroy a noticeable amount of bitterness which means this plant is a pretty good potherb. This is a plant you might want to consider cultivating as it at the very least is an easy source of blossoms for use in making dandelion wine. But speaking of blossoms, unopened or barely opened blossoms with several inches of stalk can be steamed, sautéed and are a pretty good substitute for Asparagus.

 

 

Additional Information: (If applicable)

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/hypochaeris-radicata/

 

 

Where to get seed or Bare Root Plants:

I don’t know of any credible vendor selling seeds or plants.

 

With all that garden goodness covered this is the part of the blog where I have to advertise for the Fayetteville City Market. Now I know you readers probably don’t much like advertisements, but my booth at the City Market helps to cover the costs of running the test garden and literally maintains the Research & Development budget that is used to bring you the information that has made up the backbone of this blog.  In addition to being able to process card payments we now take CashApp payments so your payment options for my product have tripled. With that said; if you want to get some GMO-free, Organic fruit, herbs, flowers and perennials, come on down to the Fayetteville City Market on 325 Maxwell Street in downtown Fayetteville between the hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturdays. Even in bad weather the market goes on though you might have to look for me under the ‘arches’ of the Transportation Museum’s front entryway.

 

For those of you wondering what plants are going to be at the market this weekend here is the list.

 

Fresh Foods: (Note- It is almost the end of the season for winter vegetables and soup kits)

Soup Kit – Parsnip

Soup Kit – Turnip

Turnips

Parsnips

Onions

Celery

Potatoes

Garlic Bulbs

 

Soil Amendment Products:

Carolina Gold, Live Mushroom Compost – 18 Gallon Tote*

Carolina Gold, Live Mushroom Compost – 3 Gallon Bag

Carolina Gold, Live Mushroom Compost – 1 Gallon Bag

Carolina Gold, Enhanced Potting Soil – 1 Gallon Bag

 

Spring Garden Plants:

Swiss Chard, Red

(More TBA!)

 

 

*The 18 gallon tote is by special order only and is delivered to any address within the Fayetteville city area.

 

 

How to stay in Contact with Us!

All you need to keep up with all our activities is to have a Nextdoor account and to look for the ‘Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’ group and ask to join! You don’t have to live in Fayetteville to join us! Feel free to ask all your garden questions of our knowledgeable membership and post your cool garden pictures.

 

Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville

 

Also please take a gander at the YouTube version of this blog:

The Videos: Look Here

>Newest videos (1): Selaginella, Frosty Fern

 

Meetings are still going on! Our next (unofficial) meeting is March 15^th at the Fayetteville City Market at 325 Franklin Street between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm.

Queen Anne's Lace II

 Note from the Author: This is an update on a weed I previously covered on June 9^th 2022.

 

This is the wild carrot found somewhere in Fayetteville NC. These biennials are just starting to emerge right now.

This Carrot is the Domesticated one, it is a Chantenay Red-cored carrot that I planted last year in my garden.

 

Common Name: Queen Anne’s Lace

 

Other Common Names: Bird’s Nest, Bishop’s Lace, Wild Carrot, Bee's Nest Plant, Devil's Plague (wtf on that last one).

 

Botanical Family: Apicaeae (The Carrot Family)

 

Botanical Latin Name: Daucus carota

 

Description & Habitat: Queen Anne’s Lace is a non-native biennial with a fleshy taproot and is effectively a undomesticated carrot. In the first year this wild plant will develop a rosette of finely divided leaves and in the second year it will develop a flower stalk that produces a cluster of white flowers that will often have a dark red or purple flower in the center. Typically you will find Wild carrots in lawns, pastures, abandoned lots, yards and other wild places with soil that has good drainage and are typically sunny.  Every part of this plant is edible thought he root may be white or yellow and color and far smaller than the carrots you buy at the store.

 

There are a few interesting things I found while re-researching this wild plant for this posting. Firstly, the family name for the Carrot family changed from Umbrelliferae in or around 2011 to Apiaceae which means older publications will still be using the old name in 2025. My copy of Weeds of Southern Turfgrasses and my copy of Rodales: Herbs still uses this family name so keep that in mind when looking into this wild plant. Beyond this how many older publications treat an undomesticated carrot as if it is a dangerous weed when it really isn’t. Even the NC state extension site (see link below) treats it as if it’s dangerous. Then there is the discussion of the root colors; I already noted that wild carrots are probably going to be white or yellow. But did you know the orange colored carrots at the store were naturally hybridized in the 1500’s most likely in Spain? We know this because there is there are paintings from Spain in the 1500’s depicting orange carrots and genetic studies indicate that the orange color naturally appeared as opposed to being intentionally hybridized. Before the orange color came around it is noted that the first definite writings of and depictions of carrots as a root vegetable originate in what is modern day Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan, and those carrots were white, yellow purple and a shade of purple so dark, that it is effectively black. The reason you do not see more purple and black colored carrots in the seed trade is because they have a much lower germination rate than more hybridized types. Baker’s Creek Seeds sells the darkest purple types I’ve ever seen.

 

 

When & What to Harvest:  The leaves, flowers and unripe seed pods are all safely edible. Ideally you want to start harvesting these during January or February before seeds are fully formed.

 

Edible Related Plants: Cumin (Cuminum cyminum), Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum), Parsley (Petroselinum crispum), Parsnips (Pastinaca sativa), Celery (Apium graveolens), Anise (Pimpinella anisum), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Dill (Anethum graveolens), Lovage (Levisticum officinale), Angelica (Angelica archangelica), Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium).

 

Similar Dangerous Species:  Poisonous Hemlock (Conium maculatum) which is in the same family. You can tell Poison hemlock from Wild Carrots with some pretty easy to identify physical features. Poison Hemlock is a biennial that has stems with purple splotches that can be anywhere from two to ten feet tall. Poison hemlock’s leaves are divided and compound and taper to a point, also, the bruised or crushed foliage of hemlock smell bad whereas carrots smell like carrots.

 

Recipe:  

 

Parsnip & Carrot Greens Pie

 

Ingredients:

6-8 Parsnips

3-4 Medium Carrots (For the Greens)

1-4 Tablespoons of butter

Tahini to taste (Make sure it has enough lemon in it)

1-2 frozen plain pie shells (Or if you make your own, 1 deep dish one)

Salted Sunflower seeds or Slivered Almonds.

 

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Wash your carrot greens thoroughly to remove debris and dirt/grit.

3. Cut up your parsnips as finely as is possible

4. Steam your parsnips until they are soft. (10-15 mins)

5. Chop up your carrot greens as finely as is possible. (You can use a food processor to render them into paste also)

6. Mix your carrot greens with the tahini and use to coat the inside of the pie shells. Save about half for the next step.

7. Mash your steamed parsnips and mix in the remaining Tahini-carrot blend.

8. Fill pies with mixture.

9. Decorate top of pies with the Almonds or Sunflower seeds.

10. Bake for about 20 minutes or until you see the pies turning golden brown.

 

This recipe was originally published in the Fedco Seeds and Supplies Catalog for 2025 on page 55. I’ve tried this recipe a few different ways and the above is my preferred modification to it. For note I made my own tahini for it but you can buy that from the international aisle at a lot of grocery stores.

 

Additional Information: (If applicable)

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/daucus-carota/

 

Where to get seed or Bare Root Plants:

(Black Carrot Seeds)

https://www.rareseeds.com/carrot-pusa-asita-black

 

(Wild Carrot Seeds)

https://southernseeds.com/products/wild-carrot-bishops-flower-500-seeds-floral-design-culinary-uses-ammi-majus?srsltid=AfmBOooTx8kw681cSCQuDFNt9fJwvVu67fjl4LsZgxUcm4fotx-2JxTq

 

 

With all that garden goodness covered this is the part of the blog where I have to advertise for the Fayetteville City Market. Now I know you readers probably don’t much like advertisements, but my booth at the City Market helps to cover the costs of running the test garden and literally maintains the Research & Development budget that is used to bring you the information that has made up the backbone of this blog.  In addition to being able to process card payments we now take CashApp payments so your payment options for my product have tripled. With that said; if you want to get some GMO-free, Organic fruit, herbs, flowers and perennials, come on down to the Fayetteville City Market on 325 Maxwell Street in downtown Fayetteville between the hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturdays. Even in bad weather the market goes on though you might have to look for me under the ‘arches’ of the Transportation Museum’s front entryway.

 

For those of you wondering what plants are going to be at the market this weekend here is the list.

 

Fresh Foods:

Soup Kit – Parsnip

Soup Kit – Turnip

Turnips

Parsnips

Onions

Celery

Potatoes

Garlic Bulbs

 

Soil Amendment Products:

Carolina Gold, Live Mushroom Compost – 18 Gallon Tote*

Carolina Gold, Live Mushroom Compost – 3 Gallon Bag

Carolina Gold, Live Mushroom Compost – 1 Gallon Bag

Carolina Gold, Enhanced Potting Soil – 1 Gallon Bag

 

Houseplants:

Abutilon

Aloe, American

Begonia, Sindbad

Cuban Oregano, Large Leaf

Hoan Ngoc

Pothos, Cebu Blue

Rose Campion

Selaginella

Solanum uleanum

Sorrel, Raspberry Dressing

Swiss Cheese Plant

 

 

*The 18 gallon tote is by special order only and is delivered to any address within the Fayetteville city area.

 

 

How to stay in Contact with Us!

All you need to keep up with all our activities is to have a Nextdoor account and to look for the ‘Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’ group and ask to join! You don’t have to live in Fayetteville to join us! Feel free to ask all your garden questions of our knowledgeable membership and post your cool garden pictures.

 

Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville

 

Also please take a gander at the YouTube version of this blog:

The Videos: Look Here

>Newest videos (1): Winter 2025

 

Meetings are still going on! Our next (unofficial) meeting is March 1^st at the Fayetteville City Market at 325 Franklin Street between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm.