Wild Lettuce – 20 Seeds

Wild Lettuce (Lactuca virosa), also known as Bitter lettuce, Prickly lettuce, and Opium lettuce, thrives in grassy fields and along riverbanks in full sun and can grow up to two meters in height. It is a biennial plant that belongs to the Asteraceae or sunflower family and is native to Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

During the first year of growth, the plant sets out a rosette of leaves. During the second year, multiple rosettes are formed, with a central flowering stalk growing from each rosette. The plant produces small yellow blossoms, with multiple flowers occurring on each flowering stalk. The dark green leaves average 15-45 centimeters in length, are oblong, elongated, smooth, and the margins vary from a smooth edge to deeply lobed with a prominent central vein.

When scratched or cut, the plant will secrete latex which is a white, milky substance. The plant produces small yellow blossoms, with multiple flowers occurring on each plant. The leaves are edible, but Wild lettuce is primarily used for medicinal purposes and a mild sedative called lactucarium is derived from the milky latex of its stem. Lactucarium contains lactucin and lactucopicrin. They are bitter substances that act on the central nervous system to produce pain-relieving and sedative effects.

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Wild Lettuce Culinary Uses:

• It is best suited for both raw and cooked applications, but caution should be taken as the leaves may have toxic effects when consumed raw.
• Young Wild lettuce leaves can be used raw in salads or layered in sandwiches or wraps.
• Mature leaves are tough and should be cooked to tenderize and to remove harsh astringents.

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Wild Lettuce Medicinal Benefits

The leaves, sap (latex), and seed have been used for centuries to make medicine. It may help in the treatment of:

• Pain relief
• Anxiety
• Respiratory conditions
• Menstrual cramps
• Arthritis
• Cancer
• Insomnia
• Poor circulation
• Restlessness
• Urinary infections

CAUTION: Because animal studies indicate that wild lettuce extract may have sedative properties, anyone taking sedatives should avoid wild lettuce supplements. Additionally, ingesting wild lettuce may cause hallucinations, which can be dangerous.

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Growing Wild Lettuce

Indoor Sowing: Not recommended

Direct Sowing: Mid Autumn to Late Autumn

• The seeds will only germinate when temperatures are cool, but not freezing, so it is best to sow the seeds in Mid Autumn to Late Autumn.
• Sow the seeds in pots outdoors or directly in garden beds.
• Barely cover the seed with soil and tamp the soil down well.
• Keep the pots in a cool spot and keep the soil evenly moist until germination, which takes about 20 days.
• Transplant seedlings once big enough or if you planted the seeds in garden beds, then thin them to 20cm apart.
• Can be grown successfully in containers.