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Lactuca canadensis Linnaeus. American Wild Lettuce. Phen: Jun-Nov. Hab: Fields, roadsides, disturbed ground. Dist: NS and BC south to n. peninsular FL, TX, and CA.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, Fl7, FNA19, GrPl, K1, K3, K4, Mi, NcTx, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, SE1, Tn, Va, W, WH3; > Lactuca canadensis L. – S; > Lactuca canadensis L. var. canadensis – F, G, Il, Oh3, WV; > Lactuca canadensis L. var. integrifolia (Bigelow) Torr. & A.Gray – Tat; > Lactuca canadensis L. var. latifolia Kuntze – F, G, Il, Oh3, Tat, WV; > Lactuca canadensis L. var. longifolia (Michx.) Farw. – F, G, Il, Oh3, WV; > Lactuca canadensis L. var. obovata Wiegand – F, G, Il, Oh3; > Lactuca canadensis L. var. typica Wiegand – Tat; > Lactuca sagittifolia Elliott – S

Links to other floras: = Lactuca canadensis - FNA19

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU
  • Great Plains: FACU
  • Midwest: FACU
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACU

Heliophily ⓘ: 8

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image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Weakley source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Weakley source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Paul Marcum source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Weakley source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Paul Marcum source | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect annual/biennial of moist to dry forests, rocky woodlands, fields, roadsides and disturbed areas.

Stems: Stems stout, unbranched, often purple-spotted, with a white-waxy coating, smooth or hairy, oozing milky sap when broken.

Leaves: Leaves alternate, with clasping bases, variable in shape, 4-12 in. long, the largest toothed or deeply divided into narrow segments, dull-whitish or shiny and mostly smooth.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Composite flowers (heads) numerous in tall, open-branching terminal cluster; heads about 1/3 in. wide, consisting of 15-20 yellow (purplish with age) ray florets with squared-off, toothed tips. Tightly held, purple-tinged, green bracts surround the cylindric to urn-shaped base of each head.

Fruits: Fruit a fluffy cluster of white-tufted, flattened achenes.

Comments:

Height: 4-10 ft.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect annual/biennial of moist to dry forests, rocky woodlands, fields, roadsides and disturbed areas.

stems: Stems stout, unbranched, often purple-spotted, with a white-waxy coating, smooth or hairy, oozing milky sap when broken.

leaves: Leaves alternate, with clasping bases, variable in shape, 4-12 in. long, the largest toothed or deeply divided into narrow segments, dull-whitish or shiny and mostly smooth.

inflorescence:

flowers: Composite flowers (heads) numerous in tall, open-branching terminal cluster; heads about 1/3 in. wide, consisting of 15-20 yellow (purplish with age) ray florets with squared-off, toothed tips. Tightly held, purple-tinged, green bracts surround the cylindric to urn-shaped base of each head.

fruits: Fruit a fluffy cluster of white-tufted, flattened achenes.

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: