PlantFiles: Woodland Lettuce, Florida Blue Lettuce, False Lettuce Lactuca floridana
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Other details: May be a noxious weed or invasive Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings This plant may be considered a protected species; check before digging or gathering seeds
Propagation Methods: From seed; direct sow outdoors in fall From seed; winter sow in vented containers, coldframe or unheated greenhouse From seed; direct sow after last frost
Seed Collecting: Bag seedheads to capture ripening seed Allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds
On Jan 2, 2009, readpetunia from Hot Springs National Park, AR wrote:
I love blue lettuce, simply, because not much information about it. I've read annual or biennal. I've also read young leaves make a slightly bitter salad green. I've also read they are only suitable as a cooked green. Also, there are two variations of the species which are supposedly almost identical. I saw one on which topped 20 ft which exceeds all height expectancies I've read. Also, the hollow stalks at the end of the season are fairly strong and I believed would work beautifully for trellises. I am in Ouachita Mtns in Arkansas. Also,located north of me in Ozarks. I'm going to try a crop for salad greens and some for height and trellis possibilities, cold stratify for 60 days I believe I read. I find in open area grows tall and find also sporadically in open woods on smaller scale.
On Aug 22, 2005, melody from Benton, KY (Zone 7a) wrote:
Although classed as a weed, this plant is not invasive and is not extremely common in my area. I do not actually grow it in my garden, but have observed it along the roadsides.
It grows to about 6' tall and seems to favor areas that are slightly moist. I've observed it near marshy road ditches and in meadows that tend to hold water when it rains. The other Wild Lettuce species around here aren't as picky, growing wherever seeds land.
