Common Name: Prickly Lettuce

General Information

Lactuca serriola is an erect, annual to biennial plant producing a basal rosette of leaves and a stem that can be from 30 - 125cm tall, occasionally to 250cm[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. It has occasionally been cultivated for its seed oil.

Known Hazards

The mature plant is mildly toxic[].

Botanical References

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Range

Eurasia - throughout Europe, east to western Siberia, Mongolia, western China, Pakistan; N. Africa - Morocco to Ethiopia and Arabian Peninsular

Habitat

Weedy and waste places near dwellings, roadsides, in crops and old fields, orchards, kitchen gardens and vineyards, on irrigated lands, by irrigation channels, on walls, gorges, ravines and valleys in mountains, foothills near streams[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Biennial
Height	1.50 m
Pollinators	Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a light sandy loam in a sunny position[, ].
The wild lettuce is cultivated for the oil in its seed in Egypt[, ].
A compass plant, the top leaves align north-south[].

Edible Uses

Young leaves - raw or cooked[, , ]. A bitter flavour[]. The young tender leaves are mild and make an excellent salad[, ], but the whole plant becomes bitter as it gets older, especially when coming into flower[]. As a potherb it needs very little cooking[]. Large quantities can cause digestive upsets[].

Young shoots - cooked. Used as an asparagus substitute[].

An edible oil is obtained from the seed[, , ]. The oil must be refined before it is edible[]. A pleasant flavour[, ].

Medicinal

The whole plant is rich in a milky sap that flows freely from any wounds. This hardens and dries when in contact with the air[]. The sap contains 'lactucarium', which is used in medicine for its anodyne, antispasmodic, digestive, diuretic, hypnotic, narcotic and sedative properties[, , , , , , ]. Lactucarium has the effects of a feeble opium, but without its tendency to cause digestive upsets[], nor is it addictive[]. It is taken internally in the treatment of insomnia, anxiety, neuroses, hyperactivity in children, dry coughs, whooping cough, rheumatic pain etc[]. Concentrations of lactucarium are low in young plants and most concentrated when the plant comes into flower[]. It is collected commercially by cutting the heads of the plants and scraping the juice into china vessels several times a day until the plant is exhausted[]. This species does not contain as much lactucarium as L. virosa[]. An infusion of the fresh or dried flowering plant can also be used[].
The plant should be used with caution, and never without the supervision of a skilled practitioner. Even normal doses can cause drowsiness whilst excess causes restlessness[] and overdoses can cause death through cardiac paralysis[, ].
The fixed oil from the seeds is said to possess antipyretic and hypnotic properties[].
A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant[]. It is used in the treatment of chronic catarrh, coughs, swollen liver, flatulence and ailments of the urinary tract[].

Other Uses

The seed contains 35.2% of a semi-drying oil[]. It is used in soap making, paints, varnishes etc[].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in situ and only just cover the seed. Germination is usually fairly quick.