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Sonchus kirkii

Common name:	Shore Sow Thistle	Family:	Compositae
Author:	Hamlin.	Botanical references:
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	New Zealand.
Habitat:	Not known
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Asterales. Renamed to Asteraceae -- Aster family

Physical Characteristics

. . The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Cultivated Beds.

Edible Uses

Leaves.

Leaves - raw or cooked[173].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will succeed in Britain. This species does not appear in the 'Flora of New Zealand and there must be some doubts over the validity of its name[K]. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus.

This species is nt in the IOPI list of accepted plant names.

Succeeds in most soils in a sunny position.

Propagation

Seed - we have no information on this species but it would probably succeed from an outdoor sowing in mid spring in situ. Only just cover the seed.
If you only have a small quantity of seed then it would be safer to sow this in a cold frame in the winter. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in early summer.
Division in spring.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[173] Crowe. A. Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Hodder and Stoughton 1990 ISBN 0-340-508302
A very well written and illustrated book based on the authors own experiments with living on a native diet.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Sonchus+kirkii
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Sonchus+kirkii

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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.