Sunflower family (Compositae)

A biennial herb growing to 6 feet high. The stem is a smooth, pale green, sometimes spotted with purple. The lower leaves, rising from the base, are from 6 to 18 inches long; the stem leaves are much smaller. The stem is topped by numerous pale yellow flower heads. Lactuca Virosa seed is black with a tuft of silvery hair. Lactuca Serriola seed is brown with a tuft of silvery hair. Native to central and southern Europe. Naturalized in the U.S.

Cultivation and Propagation: Wild lettuce prefers a rich, loose, well-drained soil, but can grow almost anywhere if watered frequently. It is propagated by seeds in the same manner as garden lettuce. They may be sown very thickly in rows and thinned out to 18 inches apart, or started in flats in early spring. Flat-grown seedlings should be transplanted very carefully.

Harvesting: The milky juice of this plant may be harvested by cutting off the flower heads and collecting the juice that exudes. This may be repeated several times a day for several weeks by cutting a little off the top each time. Another method that is much easier but will yield less is extracting juice from the entire plant in a vegetable juicer and drying it in the sun or under low heat.