Minnesota Wildflowers


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Lactuca canadensis (Wild Lettuce)

Plant Info
Also known as: Canadian Lettuce
Genus:Lactuca
Family:Asteraceae (Aster)
Life cycle:annual, biennial
Origin:native
Habitat:shade, sun; edges of woods, along roads
Bloom season:July - September
Plant height:4 to 10 feet
USDA PLANTS database:Minnesota county distribution map
Spotted in Ramsey County at:

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Detailed Information

Flower: 7+petals panicle

[photo of flower] A mass of ¼-inch yellow flowers at the top of the stalk, often with pink or red-tinted edges, only a few are open at a time.

Leaves: alternate lobed

[photo of leaves] Deeply lobed and coarsely toothed towards the base of the plant, up to 12 inches long and to 6 inches wide, gradually becoming smaller, smooth-edged and unlobed at the top. No leaf stem at the stalk. Leaves taper to points at both ends and the edges are somewhat wavy.

Fruit:

[photo of fruit] Seed head is a dandelion-type plume, 1-inch diameter

Notes:

The unusual leaves of this plant make it pretty easy to identify even when it isn't in bloom. Also, nearly all references I've come across say the flowers of Wild Lettuce are yellow, but the plants that I found had distinctly pink petals, though they turned yellow towards the center.

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  • Prairie Restorations - Bringing people together with the land

Map of native plant purveyors in the upper midwest

More photos

All photos taken at Long Lake Regional Park, New Brighton, MN, July-August 2006.

Comments

Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?

Posted by: Meghan P in Roseville, Ramsey County
on: 2009-08-06 19:33:09

The flowers on the ones in my yard are always deep yellow, wonder if it's sensitive to soil pH like some other flowers?

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