Sonchus oleraceus

It does look like a Sonchus. However, the terminal leaf segments are not as sharply triangular and obviously toothed, as is typical for Sonchus oleraceus. Jay, maybe you can be less confident in your IDs on immature plants. Blakrab, if you do follow up, please post back in a couple of months with photos of the lower leaf segments adjacent to more mature stems.

If it is a sonchus, it would be that species, and if it's not than someone else is also too confident.

Blackrab, are you able to tear a leaf? Is there milky sap? And what was the leaf texture like? Rough or smooth? If you do follow up flowers would be good.

Meanwhile check out Rapistrum rugosum and see what you think.

Jay, I did not say it wasn't S. oleraceus - just that the new leaves were non-typical. I rarely suggest an ID to species level without some pretty good evidence to support it, or without at least acknowledging that it is a best guess with the available information. You, on the other hand, are sometimes declaring species IDs as if you are the final authority, without facts to support it - especially on immature plants where even genus can be in doubt. All that is doing is creating photo references on the web that confuse people who are searching for information. You can say what you like in reply - I'm done arguing.

I have to do weird things in order to get you to come out and talk Jim. I just really didn't think this plant could be anything else other than Sonchus oleracea. There is variability in the foliage of this one. I get bored and then am forced to make guesses on 2 day old seedlings so I go for it. This plant here tho, what other genera have similar foliage? I looked at Lactuca. I looked at Youngia. I'm talking, not arguing.

I'm going back to question marks because you never, ever really can be sure?

My own estimate of where I am in this forum is I'm at the very bottom of the totum pole, right by the floor, but I'm still going to continue to attempt to make accurate IDs because it's fun and I learn a lot from it even, and especially when I'm wrong. I'm a native plant lover that's also concerned about preserving these species. I'm also very interested in southeastern flora because it's so rich.