field sow thistle
The field sow thistle is in the same plant family as the daisy and dandelion. It is a perennial forb native to Europe that has become naturalized in North America, where it can be found growing in pastures, roadsides, and along the shore of lakes and rivers. It is considered to be a noxious invasive weed in some areas, especially when it occurs in agricultural fields and affects the yield of annual crops.
The long and narrow leaves of the field sow thistle are rather distinctive, sometimes with deeply incised lobes and rimmed with prickles on the leaf margin. However, the plant does not become conspicuous until stalks with flower buds covered in glandular hairs rise above the ground-hugging leaves. The bright yellow flower heads are clustered at the tip of the flowering stalk.
At Salter Grove, there is an isolated patch just beyond trail marker U10 close to the boat launch. It is growing in a low-lying area that is infrequently flooded at high tide by brackish water. Because of its ability to rapidly colonize an area with rhizomes it will be monitored so it does not affect the growth of neighboring native species like maritime marsh elder and the American germander.