Wild lettuce is a widespread North American native.
Plants: 4-10′ (1.2-3 m) tall, with
stems that are green or spotted with purple. The latex from a broken stem is brown.
Leaves: Leaves
vary greatly in shape, and may resemble the shape of a sickle, or be long and narrow, or have wider
and deep lobes. They are 6-14″ (15-35 cm) long.
Flowers: At the top, large cone-shaped panicles consisting of 50-100 flowers appear.
Individual flowers are about ¼″ (8.5 mm) around, with 15-22 florets (tiny petals) each. They are yellow, pinkish-orange, or reddish.
Fruits: The achenes (seeds) are small and brown, each with a "parachute" attached, like dandelions.
6/22/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts
6/15/2012 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 11 × 7″ (27 × 18 cm)
4-10′ (1.2-3 m) tall, with stems that are green or spotted with purple. The latex from a broken stem is brown.
Erect, 12-79″ (30-200 cm) tall. Stems sometimes have stiff hairs near the bottom; stems and leaves have a milky sap when cut.
Flowers
Blue, about ¼-½″ (6.3-12 mm) across, in crowded clusters at the top.
At the top, large cone-shaped panicles consisting of 50-100 flowers appear. Individual flowers are about ¼″ (8.5 mm) around, with 15-22 florets (tiny petals) each. They are yellow, pinkish-orange, or reddish.
In panicles that form open, roughly conical clusters of flowers. Flowers are ⅜-½″ (1-1.5 cm) in diameter, and have 13-27 florets (petals) each. Flowers appear July-September.
Leaves
Leaves are deeply divided, like those of dandelions, but while dandelion leaves are roughly the same width along their length, these are more triangular in overall shape. They are up to 1′ (30 cm) long and 6″ (15 cm) wide at the base, tapering to sharp tips. Leaves are hairy, undersides more so.
Vary greatly in shape, and may resemble the shape of a sickle, or long and narrow, or wider and deep lobes. They are 6-14″ (15-35 cm) long.
Alternate, 1¾-12″ (5-30 cm) long and ⅜-4″ (1-10 cm) wide. The mid-ribs of leaves have prickers along the bottom. Typically leaves are deeply lobed.
Fruit
Achenes (seeds) are small and brown, each with a "parachute" attached, like dandelions.
⅛″ (3 mm) long, single-seeded, lance-shaped, attached to a "parachute" like dandelions.
Range/ Zones
Habitats
Redwood forest, wetlands
Woodland margins, clearings, near the edges of water, roadsides, pastures.