Sow thistle gets its name from its “desirability to swine”. It is a nutritious pig food these days, high in vitamins A, B, C and K.
It’s another undervalued herb that pops up wherever it wants to, often in driveways and “less than manicured” gardens.
According to legend, hunted hares would stop to gobble a little sow thistle to cool their blood and calm their rapidly pumping hearts. From this came another of its common names, Hares Lettuce.
Sow Thistle is anti-inflammatory, muscle-relaxing, pain killing and antiseptic.
Historically it has been used for palpitations of the heart, regulating heartbeat, kidney stones, fevers, hay fever, high blood pressure, skin disorders, acid stomach, intestinal tract disorders, heart tonic, anaemia, sunburn, blood purifying, haemorrhage, warts, delayed menstruation, rheumatism, colds, coughs, constipation and much more.
Another useful herb that’s mostly treated as a pesky weed.