Species library · Plants & herbs
Lactuca virosa
Wild Lettuce is classed as poisonous in the Forage field guide. This page helps you identify it and tell it apart from similar species. It is not a foraging guide. When in doubt, have a find identified by an expert.
If you suspect poisoning, call your local poison control center right away. If someone has trouble breathing, has a seizure or is unconscious, call emergency services. Don't wait for symptoms: with some poisonings they only start hours later. Keep any leftovers of the find, they help identify it.
Usually seen from May to August in the northern hemisphere. Found in Disturbed ground, Grassland, Scrub & hedgerows. Can be confused with similar species.
Photo: (c) Andreas Rockstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · iNaturalist
Typical window in the northern hemisphere. The southern hemisphere runs about six months offset.
Wild Lettuce is usually found in Disturbed ground, Grassland, Scrub & hedgerows.
In the Forage app, Wild Lettuce has a full field guide entry with more photos, key features and the species it can be confused with.
Yes. Wild Lettuce is classed as poisonous in the Forage field guide. Do not eat it. If you suspect poisoning, call your local poison control center right away, or emergency services if it is life-threatening.
Wild Lettuce usually appears from May to August in temperate northern regions. The exact timing shifts with latitude, elevation and each year's weather.
Wild Lettuce is usually found in Disturbed ground, Grassland, Scrub & hedgerows.
Similar species: Prickly lettuce, Common sow thistle, Prickly sow thistle. Only a confident identification tells them apart. When in doubt, have a find checked by an expert.
Forage helps you discover and identify wild plants, but identification is never 100% certain. Many edible plants have toxic lookalikes. Never eat anything you find based only on what this app tells you. Always confirm with a field guide, an experienced forager or a local expert. The season score tells you where to look, too: it’s not a guarantee. Mind conservation law and property rights as well.
Species photos via Wikimedia Commons and iNaturalist · full credits
Prickly lettuce
Common sow thistle
Prickly sow thistle
