Blue lettuce
Mulgedium pulchellum

Family: Asteraceae

What it is like

A small herb that keeps growing from year to year. It grows 25-75 cm tall. The leaves are alternate and smooth. They are narrowly sword shaped. It has lobes that are directed backwards. The leaves are 5-18 cm long. The flowers are blue disks. The flower heads are 2.5 cm across. They occur as a few flowers in a loose cluster. The fruit is a dry achene.

There are about 20 Lactuca species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in heavy moist soil.

Countries/locations it is found in

Canada, North America, USA

How it is used for food

The gum from the root is chewed. The root is dried and chewed.

Edible parts

Leaves, gum

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Lactuca oblongifolia Nutt.; Lactuca tatarica var. heterophylla (Nutt.) Boivin; Lactuca tatarica var. pulchella (Pursh) Breitung; Lactuca tatarica subsp. pulchella (Pursh) Stebbins; Sonchus pulchellus Pursh; Sonchus tataricus L.;