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Common Name: Mission Lettuce

General Information

Dudleya edulis is a Evergreen Perennial up to 0.50 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

South-western N. America - S. California.

Habitat

Rocky hillsides below 1,000 metres[]. High elevations in the Sonoran Desert[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Evergreen Perennial
Height	0.50 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a very sunny position in a well-drained soil[]. Plants enter a semi-dormant state in late summer and they should be kept fairly dry at this time[].
There must be some doubt over the hardiness of this species. One report says that it is hardy to zone 8 which suggests that it should tolerate occasional cold periods down to between -5 and -10°c, but the report also says that the plants should be protected from frost, with a winter temperatures no lower than 7°c[].

Edible Uses

Leaves - raw. Fleshy[]. They are considered to be a delicacy[].
Stems - slightly sweet and refreshing to chew, though they leave a chalky taste in the mouth[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - we have no details for this species but suggest sowing the seed in spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of side shoots in the summer. Dry the stem for 24 hours before planting in a very sandy soil mix[]. The main stem can also be used, the parent plant will then produce new plantlets at the cut edge[].