Range & Habitat: The native Wild Lettuce is a common plant that occurs in almost all counties of Illinois (see Distribution Map). Water the soil thoroughly before … [18] It is used by a growing number of Jews and the Samaritans as the Maror (bitter herb) on Pesach. Growing thick and upright in diverse places such as sidewalk cracks to the woods, Prickly Lettuce is a fine salad green, though still somewhat bitter. Species of wild lettuce fall into one of two large groups; those with yellow flowerheads versus those with light blue flowerheads. Some wild plants are poisonous or can have serious adverse health effects. We are not health professionals, medical doctors, nor are we nutritionists. The flower heads are 1–1.5 cm (1⁄2–1⁄2 in) wide,[10] pale yellow, often tinged purple, with 12–20 ray flowers but no disc flowers. There are no disk flowers. [2][5][6][7][8][9], Lactuca serriola has a spineless reddish stem, containing a milky latex, growing up to 2 metres (6 ft 7 in).[10]. Prickly lettuce grows most abundantly on nutrient-rich soils. [23] Samples of L. serriola can be found around the world with genetic diversity between populations regarding the Dm genes. EdibleWildFood.com is informational in nature. Habitats include abandoned fields, fence rows, areas along railroads and roadsides, vacant lots, dumps, and miscellaneous waste areas. Prickly lettuce is a winter annual weed often found in no-till soybeans and winter wheat, or along field edges. Also, it is suspected that the high levels in nitrates in Lactuca Spp are responsible for kidney failure in young ducks. Lactuca serriola is a BIENNIAL growing to 1.5 m (5ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in). Check out these comparison pictures of lactuca virosa (wild lettuce) vs. lactuca serriola (prickly lettuce). Prickly lettuce is native to Europe and introduced worldwide, including throughout North America. The plant is self-fertile. Aug. 1, 2009. Prickly lettuce grows along roads, railroads, sidewalks, vacant lots, waste areas, pastures, orchards, and cultivated fields. (See maps below from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Plants Database. Originally from Europe and Asia, prickly lettuce is estimated to have arrived to North American shores around 1860. Since it is a tall growing plant, it means that prickly lettuce often shades out other plants and even some grasses. The spines of this plant are fairly soft and edible raw when the leaves are young. photo of herbarium specimen at Missouri Botanical Garden, collected in North Dakota in 2014, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lactuca_serriola&oldid=999065590, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 8 January 2021, at 09:26. It is also known at the wild opium or compass plant. Blooms August-October. It is in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen from August to September. Please click here for more information. A very common plant that will grow almost anywhere where it get lots of sun and little competition from other plants. How to sow lettuce seed. lactucae. To support our efforts please browse our store (books with medicinal info, etc.). In the past, some have used this plant for both medical and culinary purposes. [23] This pathogen is able to undergo sexual reproduction, and once virulent strains have been produced, can undergo rapid asexual reproductive cycles. The upper leaf surface is hairless, but there are prickles along the edge, and the midrib on the lower leaf surface is lined with sharp prickles. Leaves located on the lower part of the stem may be deeply or irregularly lobed. It is also described by Theophrastus. Grows upright with few branches below. It is up to the reader to verify nutritional information and health benefits with qualified professionals for all edible plants listed in this web site. It is also found in the Punjab Region of Pakistan India and Australia where it grows in the wild. It is very similar in look and medicinal effects to Wild Lettuce, Lactuca virosa. The leaves get progressively smaller as they reach its top. What does prickly lettuce look like? Wild lettuce has leaves which aren’t as divided and spread out more. Many flowers are produced and usually appear … It is the closest wild relative of cultivated lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). [26] This genetic diversity is considered a resource for lettuce breeding because it provides a greater variety of genes to be used in response to new strains of B. lactucae, which continually emerge. Use sterilized potting soil to start your seeds. The roots, stems and flowers produce a sticky, milky looking substance. In North America, it has been documented as introduced in California , Alabama , Iowa , and Washington, DC , and grows wild in other parts of the continent. It can grow to over 7 feet tall. Thin seedlings out when they’re big enough to handle and keep the compost moist. Broken stems and leaves bleed white latex sap. Leaf bases typically consist of ear-like lobes that clasp the stem. Growth is best in fertile loamy soil, although poor gravelly soil and clay-loam are also tolerated. They emit latex when cut. The species grows commonly on stony ground and in dry parts of southern Europe, where avoiding the direct glare of the sun is an obvious advantage. HOW DOES IT SPREAD? Prickly lettuce begins flowering in late spring to early summer. The woody stems of this plant are hollow, and form in the middle of a basal rosette of leaves. As the plant matures it increases in bitterness, becoming inedible by the time it produces flowers. Prickly lettuce grows along roads, railroads, sidewalks, vacant lots, waste areas, pastures, orchards, and cultivated fields. This is one of the most common types of wild lettuce to find and is a native plant. This one, Prickly Lettuce, grows as a single stem. Control young plants by [14] While unsubstantial, its roots have been used as a coffee substitute. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Buenos Aires, CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (, oblong or lanceolate, often pinnately lobed, "King's American Dispensary:Tinctura Lactucarii (U. S. P.)—Tincture of Lactucarium", "King's American Dispensary:Lactuca.—Lettuce", Tinctura Lactucarii (U. S. P.)—Tincture of Lactucarium, Prickly Lettuce on Virginia Tech Weed Identification Guide. Flowering stems can reach heights anywhere from 60 cm to 2 metres tall (2 to 7'). Cover with a very thin layer of compost or vermiculite. It is native to Eurasia. [23] Lactuca serriola and B. lactucae have a gene-for-gene relationship,[25] meaning that each resistance gene in the plant is associated with a specific gene in the pathogen, with avirulence being dominant to virulence. Sponsored Links: ANNUAL: A common to abundant weed of disturbed soils at roadsides, in gardens, and along washes. Range & Habitat: The adventive Prickly Lettuce is a common plant that occurs in every county of Illinois (see Distribution Map). University of California @ Davis, Integrated Pest Management. Prickly lettuce is an erect biennial (rarely an annual) that is in the Asteraceae family. A biennial plant, growing to 1.5m x 1.0m. WHEN DOES IT BLOOM? The flowers are composite, and like many other wildflowers, they look a little like dandelions. They like dry conditions, but can tolerate growing in moist areas. This plant can grow quite high allowing it to be easily spotted. Wild lettuce is native to Eurasia, but has naturalized throughout most of North America, and also Hawaii. Stems are usually leafy and may bear a few prickles on the lower portion. The leaves, when young, can be eaten cooked and eaten raw. Flowerheads with up to 17 florets per head. [23] These genes are mapped in four linkage groups, so the genes within each group will be more likely to be inherited together. Seedlings of this hardy annual appear in damp soil in spring and summer. 10: 1–726. Lactuca serriola is known as the compass plant because in the sun the upper leaves twist round to hold their margins upright. Florida lettuce, or woodland lettuce, is an annual or biennial with open, branched clusters of bluish flowers. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Prickly Lettuce can be identified by the small prickles on the underside of the leaves, which are generally 2 times longer than they are wide. It can be … In 430 BC (2447 years ago) Hippocrates, known as the Father of Modern Medicine, wrote about the pain-relieving effects of the plant’s milky sap.By the 1800s, it had reached America. [23] L. serriola has shown resistance to the plant pathogen Bremia lactucae, the cause of the disease. Once the rosette leaves die off, the new leaves will bear the tell tale prickles. In Illinois, this plant prefers highly disturbed areas and it doesn't invade high quality natural areas to any significant degree. [23][26] There is especially high diversity within the Mediterranean area and Southwest Asia, but L. serriola has established populations on all continents and has the most widespread distribution compared to other Lactuca species. It is used for crafting Homeopathics (Ultimate Survivor) in the utility wheel. [3] It is the closest wild relative of cultivated lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). [12], Lactuca serriola can be eaten as a salad, although it has something of a bitter taste. Wild lettuce belongs to the Lactuca, or lettuce, family of the plant kingdom. The stem surface is covered with a waxy coat giving it a whitish cast and it is sometimes flecked with red. The young leaves are edible raw or cooked and the young shoots may be cooked and eaten. Lactuca serriola. Wild food can help treat various medical conditions. The achenes are grey, tipped with bristles. Prickly lettuce Also, archaeobotanical evidence in Greek archaeological contexts is scanty, although uncarbonised seeds have been retrieved from a 7th-century BC deposit in a sanctuary of Hera on Samos. The leaves and stems are less spiny, and grow closer together. They emit latex when cut. Click. Leaves are alternate (1 leaf per node), 15 to 30cm (6 to 12”) long, coarse, and variable in size and shape. It was introduced to the US from Europe and Asia and now grows wild in many areas of the US. Hedgerow Type. Wild Lettuce is also called bitter lettuce, laitue vireuse, opium lettuce, and rakutu-karyumu-so. The flowers produced in late spring to early summer are yellow in color and approximately one third of an inch in diameter. Scientific Name. In A. L. Cabrera (ed.) Favorable Conditions for Weed Seed Production. Lactuca serriola, also called prickly lettuce,[2] milk thistle[2] (not to be confused with Silybum marianum, also called milk thistle), compass plant,[2] and scarole,[2] is an annual or biennial plant in the dandelion tribe within the daisy family. Prickly Lettuce. Then open the weapon wheel and hold / to craft “Ultimate Survivor” (Reduces considerably the damage you take). RANGE: A cosmopolitan weed native to Eurasia and now found throughout North … Leaves are deeply lobed, and clasp the base of the stem. At first, it just has those alternating leaves, plain and green, and then quite quickly it sprouts a many-branched flower-head. It is highly adviseable to eat only smalll quantities. The plant is sometimes called wild lettuce, China lettuce or compass plant because the leaves on the main stem are held vertically in a north-south plane, perpendicular to direct sunlight. Prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola) can be a summer annual or biennial. The pappus is white with equal length hairs.[5][11]. Click, All listed plants are found in central-east Canada and Wild lettuce can be moderately difficult to germinate and will require some extra steps to ensure germination. Wild Lettuce is native to the Mediterranean region and prefers light, well-drained soils in an open, sunny position. Only about a third of the flower heads open at a time. It can cause pulmonary emphysema in cattle feeding exclusively on the plant. The undersides have whitish veins. (Figure 1) The French common name for prickly lettuce is "laitue scariole", which derives from its scientific name, Lactuca serriola or La… Prickles are generally absent from upper stem leaves, which are small, lance shaped, and lack lobes. COMMON NAMES: Bitter Lettuce, Wild Lettuce, Green Endive, Lettuce Opium, Laitue Vireuse (French), Latuga Velenosa (Italian), Prickly Lettuce It is related to your garden lettuce, which is Lactuca Sativa. The roots, stems and flowers produce a sticky, white-colored substance. Basal leaves are larger than stem leaves. It is hardy to zone (UK) 7. Location: It is used as a medicinal herb when dried after contact with air. [13] Older leaves can be steamed. Unopened flower heads resemble a tight green teardrop. )Greater prickly lettuce is less widespread. [19][20][21], The Egyptian god Min is associated with this species of lettuce. The leaf shape is distinctive, with the indentation between lobes forming a "C" shape. Prickly lettuce belongs to the former group. Flora de la provincia de Jujuy. [citation needed], Lactuca serriola contains lactucarium, which is the milky sap (white latex) that flows through the stem of the plant. Sow in spring or autumn as you would lettuce. The plant pictured above is Lactuca virosa. elongata, and even that lettuce-opium obtained from Lactuca serriola or Lactuca quercina was of superior quality. This plant varies considerably in size depending on growing conditions. Prickly Lettuce is an annual or biennial plant, slightly foetid, that is commonly considered a weed of orchards, roadsides and field crops. Stems are stiff, hollow, and filled with milky juice. The leaves of prickly lettuce that grows in the shade do not align themselves like that. Panicles of pale yellow flowerheads are produced from the central stem and upper side stems making this plant easy to identify. Leaves: This is the best way to tell the difference between the plants. Prickly lettuce grows most abundantly on nutrient-rich soils. Flowers mature into small, fuzzy seed heads from which pappus-bearing seeds disperse. Plants growing to nearly 2 m tall are not uncommon. Photographed along Mesquite Wash, Maricopa Co., Arizona. The white, milky sap contains a small amount of the opiate-type chemical … north-east United States (zones 4-7), but do grow elsewhere. nutrition, recipes, history, uses & more! Prickly lettuce differs from Lactuca canadensis (tall or Canada lettuce) by its blue-green foliage and the prickles on the undersides of its leaves. It has a slightly fetid odor and is commonly considered a weed of orchards, roadsides and field crops. The prickles on the leaves are somewhat soft and incapable of cutting skin. Prickly Wild Lettuce, Wild Lettuce, Opium Lettuce. [24] As a result, there are many strains, which vary in virulence. Another common name is "compass plant", because the leaves on the main stem are held vertically in a north-south plane, perpendicular to direct sunlight. In-depth wild edible PDFs. Prickly lettuce … The plant prefers dry conditions, although it tolerates and can often be found growing on moist ground such as that in low areas or irrigated fields. It prefers full sun and will tolerate partial shade—plant in moist, fertile, well-draining soil with a pH of around 7. Although the standard definition of lactucarium requires its production from Lactuca virosa, it was recognized that smaller quantities of lactucarium could be produced in a similar way from Lactuca sativa and Lactuca canadensis var.