Prickly Lettuce- Lactuca serriola
Above: Prickly Lettuce in field near the Westside Community Farmer's Market on University Row in Madison, Wisconsin on July 30, 2022.
Prickly Lettuce - Lactuca serriola (Introduced/Naturalized)
Prickly Lettuce can grow from 2 to 6 feet in height and has 3/8" wide yellow flowers with 18-24 rays.
Prickly Lettuce likes to grow in disturbed sites like fields. Prickly Lettuce is easily distinguished from other small yellow "dandelion type" flowers by the prickles on the leaves (see below). Stems are smooth.
Blooms: July - September.
Above: The underside of a Prickly Lettuce leaf has a line of prickles along the midrib. Image taken on August 2, 2022.
For more information on Prickly Lettuce visit Wikipedia.
Or, for information on Prickly Lettuce (Lactuca serriola ) visit the: Wisconsin State Herbarium.
Prickly Lettuce
Lactuca serriola
Above: Prickly Lettuce in field near the Westside Community Farmer's Market on University Row in Madison, Wisconsin (7/30/22).
Above: The underside of a Prickly Lettuce leaf has a line of prickles along the midrib. From Prickly Lettuce growing in field near the Westside Community Farmer's Market on University Row in Madison, Wisconsin (8/02/22).
Above: Prickly Lettuce growing in the Capital Springs Dog Park in Madison, Wisconsin on (9/25/23)
Above: Prickly Lettuce specimen collected at boat landing at Kettle Creek on Highway 35 in Crawford County, Wisconsin on August 4, 1973.
Above: Prickly Lettuce line drawing from USDA NRCS, Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide to plant species., USDA NRCS National Wetland Team.
