Wild Lettuce – Lactuca virosa

Family: Asteraceae

Common Names: wild lettuce, bitter lettuce, laitue vireuse, opium lettuce, poisonous lettuce, tall lettuce, great lettuce…

Growing Region: it has been documented as introduced in California, Alabama, Iowa, and Washington, DC, and grows wild in other parts of the USA.

Parts used: herb

Harvesting/Drying:

After harvest, remove all foreign matter (rocks, dirt and roots) before cleaning and drying.

When possible dry indoors in a well ventilated barn loft or attic to protect against the elements. If natural heat is not available you may need to add heat and a fan for continuous airflow. The key to drying herbs is an even combination of heat and airflow.

Wild Lettuce will completely dry in 3-7 days depending on the drying conditions. After dried, place in a cardboard box or paper bag and store in a dry place until ready to sell or use. Do not store in plastic as it will mold.

Attribution (Images)

By Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler’s Medizinal-Pflanzen (List of Koehler Images) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
By Amazoniaexotics (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons