The Perennial Sowthistle, in abundance, is sometimes described as one of the finest sights of the British countryside, with huge swathes of vivid yellow blooms, particularly on road verges and field margins. Its other common name, the Corn Sowthistle, is due to its tendency to cover the edges of cornfields. Compared to its close relation the Smooth Sowthistle it tends to grow taller and thinner and has larger and deeper yellow flowers. The clearest feature to separate the two is that the Perennial Sowthistle has yellowish hairs (these may not appear to be coloured unless you have good eyesight and look closely) on the stems, buds, and bracts of the flower heads. As its "perennial" name suggests it is a persistent plant, and it is said that even the smallest chopped up pieces of root can grow to a new plant next year, making it a difficult garden weed to eradicate. The name "Field Milk-thistle" arises from the milky juice within the stems.

Flower: Little to big solitary dandelion-like flower heads, deep yellow up to 5 cm across
Leaves: Lanceolate, pinnately lobed with spiny teeth, deeply lobed at the base of the plant, upper leaves smaller and clasping the stem
Habitat: Cultivated land, road verges, field margins, waste ground, stream banks, river beaches, salt marsh edges
Height to about: 1.5m
Typically flowering: July - September