Prickly Lettuce (Lactuca serriola)
Prickly lettuce is an annual forb that was introduced to North America by early pioneers from the Old World.
Prickly lettuce can be found on disturbed sites throughout Texas.
- Easily recognized by alternating coarse, prickly-toothed (or lobed) leaves and prickly midrib on the underside of the leaf
- Can reach a height of up to 2 meters (6-1/2 feet) in some locations but usually attains a height of 24 to 30 inches
- Has small yellow flowers that turn blue when dry
- Is a member of a genus of plants that has more than 75 species
Prickly lettuce is thought to be a parent of the modern day garden-variety lettuce. It is utilized by domestic livestock but can be poisonous to cattle if large quantities are consumed.
Prickly lettuce is not usually a problem, but can become a nuisance in some areas. If it becomes a problem, control can be achieved with a properly applied herbicide.
Prickly Lettuce is excerpted from the December 2016 issue of The Cattleman magazine.
Editor’s note: Kent Ferguson, retired rangeland management specialist from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is providing us with plant identification photo stories to help ranchers identify those forbs, forages and species growing in the pastures. Additional photos provided by USDA NRCS.