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Asteraceae
Lactuca

not marked as a favorite taxon Lactuca biennis (Moench) Fernald. Common name: Tall Blue Lettuce, Blue Wood Lettuce. Phenology: Aug-Nov. Habitat: Pastures, roadsides, forest edges, thickets. Distribution: NL (Labrador) and AK south to NC, TN, IA, CO, UT, and CA.

Glossary (beta!)

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = C, FNA19, G, GrPl, Il, K4, Mi, NE, NY, Oh3, Pa, POWO, RAB, SE1, Tn, Va, W, WV; = Lactuca spicata Jacq. — Tat; > Lactuca biennis (Moench) Fernald — F; > Lactuca terrae-novae Fernald — F; > Mulgedium spicatum (Lam.) Small var. integrifolium (Torr. & A.Gray) Small — S; > Mulgedium spicatum (Lam.) Small var. spicatum — S. Basionym: Sonchus biennis Moench 1794

Links to other floras: = Lactuca biennis - FNA19

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU
  • Great Plains: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Midwest: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily ⓘ: 7

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image #1 of Lactuca biennis© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image #2 of Lactuca biennis© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image #3 of Lactuca biennis© Gary P. Fleming
image #4 of Lactuca biennis© Alan Weakley source | Original Image ⭷
image #5 of Lactuca biennis© Alan Weakley source | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect annual/biennial of pastures, roadsides, forest edges and thickets.

Stems: Stems unbranched, green or purple-tinged, smooth to sparsely hairy, oozing milky sap when broken.

Leaves: Leaves alternate; winged-petiolate; lance- to arrowhead-shaped in outline; 4-12 in. long; deeply divided into several wide, coarsely toothed lobes with pointed tips; becoming smaller, sessile and less divided upward; smooth or with hairs on veins beneath.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Composite flowers (heads) in large, branching terminal cluster that spreads over time; heads nearly 1/2 in. wide and consisting of 15-30 pale blue to whitish ray florets with squared-off, toothed tips. Tightly held, hairless, green (often purple-tipped) bracts surround the cylindrical base of each head.

Fruits: Fruit a fluffy cluster of tufted achenes.

Comments:

Height: 3-15 ft.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect annual/biennial of pastures, roadsides, forest edges and thickets.

stems: Stems unbranched, green or purple-tinged, smooth to sparsely hairy, oozing milky sap when broken.

leaves: Leaves alternate; winged-petiolate; lance- to arrowhead-shaped in outline; 4-12 in. long; deeply divided into several wide, coarsely toothed lobes with pointed tips; becoming smaller, sessile and less divided upward; smooth or with hairs on veins beneath.

inflorescence:

flowers: Composite flowers (heads) in large, branching terminal cluster that spreads over time; heads nearly 1/2 in. wide and consisting of 15-30 pale blue to whitish ray florets with squared-off, toothed tips. Tightly held, hairless, green (often purple-tipped) bracts surround the cylindrical base of each head.

fruits: Fruit a fluffy cluster of tufted achenes.

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range:



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