Overgrown dandelion? Sow thistle maybe?

[farber2028]

I'm wondering what this plant is. It looks like an over grown dandelion. The leaves look the same but are a little more plastic feeling, if that makes sense. I couldn't find one that was blooming but the flowers are yellow and they produce the same kind of seeds like dandelions. Here are the pics

Full view


The base


The flowers/buds


Here's a bud opened up


Is this just an extremely large dandelion? If not what is it and is it safe? Thanks in advance!

Sent from my XT881 using TortForum mobile app

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: Overgrown dandelion?

No, it's not dandelion. If the flower was blue, I'd say chickory, but I don't know what that one is. Maybe spiny sow thistle?

 

[farber2028]

RE: Overgrown dandelion?

I'm stumped too

---

I guess I should say that the flowers appeared to be yellow, as you can see in the picture of the exploded bud. But I guess I can't say for sure what color they are because I haven't seen a bloom.

 

[bpham93]

RE: Overgrown dandelion?

It looks like it could be a thistle, sow thistle? i'm not too sure though

 

[farber2028]

RE: Overgrown dandelion?

It doesn't really have thistles, though. The leaves do come to a defined point, but there are no prickly guys on there.

---

I think it might be a sow thistle. I googled tall sow thistle and they do look similar.

 

[paddymorgan]

It isn't a dandelion but it is most likely a weed. Maybe don't feed you tortoise/tortoises it until your 100% sure what it is

Sent from my ST21i using TortForum mobile app

 

[Itort]

It is a sow thistle. I feed them to the torts often. 1.2% protein, 3:1 calcium/phosphorus ratio, 45.mg iron, 35mg vit A, 1.5 mg B1, 5 mg B2, 5 mg Niacin, and 60mg C per 100g. Well worth feeding to torts in fact I may start eating myself.

 

[erica anne]

Where do you live? In Arizona we have a weed that looks like that and it's called prickly lettuce. I don't believe it is good for torts to eat...

 

[farber2028]

I live in Iowa

---

Since I was steered in the direction of the sow thistle I do think that's what it is too.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Itort]

Where do you live? In Arizona we have a weed that looks like that and it's called prickly lettuce. I don't believe it is good for torts to eat...

If the same as the prickly lettuce I know of, it is also eatable .

 

[erica anne]

Where do you live? In Arizona we have a weed that looks like that and it's called prickly lettuce. I don't believe it is good for torts to eat...

If the same as the prickly lettuce I know of, it is also eatable .

That is what I thought but when I sent an email to The Tortoise Table for plant identification they told me it is not safe for my tort to eat it. Maybe they were wrong. If so I will add it back into his diet!

 

[farber2028]

I was just checking out the tort table. They look awfully similar yet it says sow thistle is edible but prickly lettuce is not. just an fyi

---

It's weird. They list another name for prickly lettuce as milk thistle. They say prickly lettuce is inedible but then you go to the milk thistle page and it says it's ok in moderation.

---

They are different, apparently.

 

[Tom]

I call that sow thistle. If its not sow thistle, I've been feeding it to my tortoises for 20 years and they love it.

Milk thistle looks totally different. It grows much bigger, has big wide leaves and has a variegated pattern on the leaves. I feed that one too once in a while.

 

[redbeef]

sow thistle. my greek tortoise eats that