Lactuca sibirica

Family: Asteraceae

What it is like

A herb. It grows 50-100 cm tall. It has a taproot and keeps growing from year to year. The stems are pale purple or red. The leaves are thin and bluish green underneath. The leaves are narrowly oval and 10-26 cm long by 2-3 cm wide. They clasp the stem at the base.

There are about 20 Lactuca species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in moist places by river banks and lakes between 300-2,100 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Central Asia, China, Europe, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Manchuria, Mongolia, Russia

How it is used for food

Young plants are eaten.

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Mulgedium sibiricum (L.) Cass. ex Less.; Sonchus sibiricus L.;