Winter Weed Study

We did Barb's Winter Weed Study but never posted it.  Shame on me, I know.  I guess this is a time when I will say better late than never.  Right?  Oh come on, agree with me!

So what did we study?  We had this little blue pool outside that we had soil in and let it alone to see what would plant itself there.  Figures something prickly but yet interesting.  It is the sow thistle. 

  

It first has yellow flowers then it gets those white puffy balls.  It's the seeds. 

Here is the close up of the seeds and a flower still ready to open up. 

I brought one inside to pull the seeds apart but....

I forgot to turn off the ceiling fan.

 Here you have what happened.  I had to put my hands around it or else we would have them flying all over the house. 

We looked up some information on this plant and I read that is has become a troublesome weed.  HA!  Don't I know it.  We also learned that its milky sap was used for eye ailments and skin eruptions, while a decoction of the leaves and stems was used to make the complexion soft and clear.  

I was always told as a child to be careful with the milky sap because it could irritate your skin.  So I found this interesting.  I also have some fond memories as a child going to pick these and blow on them to see the seeds fly.  Of course, my little one enjoyed doing that same thing.