I first saw this wildflower in September 2015 when I was out with Paula OвЂ™Meara, BSBI Joint Vice-County Recorder for Wexford. This species tends to grow on waste and disturbed ground and is in flower from July to September. They clasp the hairless stems with pointed, arrow-shaped lobes. The alternate, stalkless leaves are lanceloate, with fine prickles or spines along the edges and on the prominent midrib below. It is a biennial and it can grow quite tall вЂ“ over 1 metre high вЂ“ with reddish stems. It is a tall, upright, spindly grey-green plant with very small heads of pale yellow florets (11-13mm across) in open clusters. As for my experience, I regularly eat the young leaves when in season and used the tea for calming effects.This is a relatively new arrival in Ireland and doesnвЂ™t appear to have spread much yet, mainly confining itself to Leinster and the southern part of Munster with just a couple of sightings in Ulster. I offer below a few links for further research. Many cultures around the world, particularly in the Middle East, use this plant regularly as folk medicine. To date, there is no scientific consensus and scarce evidence and yet this plant has been used for medicinal purposes since antiquity. There are several conflicting sources about the effects of wild lettuce as a pain killer, with several extraction techniques. It is important not to boil the leaves, as very high heat will destroy the beneficial effects, so just place a few leaves in a teapot, add hot water and let it infuse for a few minutes. I always have some dry wild lettuce leaves in my dispensary, which I brew when needed. However, another common name is Wild Opium because the white. Here in Southeastern Idaho, they can have a detrimental effect on crop values and disrupt the harvesting efficiency of wheat. We use this plant at home to make tea when we long for a good nightвЂ™s sleep. Wild Lettuce, or Prickly Lettuce, or Prickly Wild Lettuce are common weeds found in orchards, nurseries, roadsides and croplands throughout the United States. Lactucarium is known as вЂpoor manвЂ™s opiumвЂ™ and can be taken internally as an infusion for the treatment of anxiety, hyperactivity, insomnia, coughs, rheumatic pain and more. The milky sap contains lactucarium, which has been used as medicine since antiquity for its digestive, diuretic, narcotic and sedative properties. Lactucarium levels increase towards the time of flowering. **Please note that the sap of wild lettuce contains lactucarium, which is a mild narcotic. It is important to harvest the leaves when young as they progressively become less palatable. It is often abundant in my garden in early spring and it forms part of the mixed greens dishes that I serve at that time of the year. biennis is extremely bitter even when very young. The flower stalks are tender before the flowers open and can be snapped off and cooked similar to asparagus. I usually cook it with other greens in pasta sauces or add it to soups. canadenesis have a slight bitterness, even less than some arugulas, and can be added to salads raw. It is a renowned ingredient in Greek folk recipes like hortapita (вЂwild weedsвЂ™ pie). I love the strong, bitter taste, but if you are not accustomed to this flavour IвЂ™d suggest eating the leaves combined with other less intensely flavoured greens.

The best part of prickly lettuce - Lactuca serriola- is the young leaves. serriola- as there is not much information about the edibility of willowleaf lettuce and I do not have personal experience to offer. I can only provide information for the prickly lettuce - L. Prickly lettuce images+video- Lactuca serriola The flowers are small and yellow, 10вЂ“15 millimetres wide, and develop a puff of seeds when fertilised. While willowleaf lettuce flowers are produced mainly on the stalk, with minimal branching at the very tip. Prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola) seeds travel with the help of their. In prickly lettuce, it branches out at the top with up to twenty flowers. Prickly lettuce forms only a short-term seed bank, with seeds surviving 13 yr in soil. The leaves of willowleaf lettuce are substantially narrower than prickly lettuce ( see images below).ДЇlowers and seeds The flowering stem is stiff, tall and hollow and It can grow to 2 metres in height.

The leaves of younger plants are wider and less indented, transforming into deeply toothed as they grow older. All leaves are oblong in shape and have prickles around the edges, as well as a distinctive line of prickles running up the spine on the underside of the leaf ( see image below). Leaves and stalks The leaves at the base form a rosette and are larger (up to 25 centimetres long) than those growing up the flowering stalk. Any part of the plant will ooze a milky sap when cut. Wild lettuce is a biennial, fast-growing herb, reaching up to 2 metres in height.