Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote:
In article , Stu
writes

The flowers certainly look like a sow thistle, but it is much bigger and
far less raggy than the perennial thistle. I am sure it is related in
some way at least.


I'm not sure what you mean by much bigger; according to the books both
the perennial (_S. arvensis_) and marsh (_S. palustris_) sow-thistles
can reach 5 feet.

The sow thistles aren't particularly close to the _Cirsium_ and
_Carduus_ thistles; the former is in tribe Lactuceae with the lettuces,
dandelions, goatsbeards, etc, and the latter in tribe Cardueae with the
burdocks, knapweeds, etc.

I am comparing it to "wild" thistles I see, which tend to be smaller due
to the poorer soil they are living in. This has shot up though, as it is
in an area with lovely soil.

Thanks for your advice!