Lactuca Species, China Lettuce, Compass Plant, Horse Thistle, Wild Lettuce

Lactucaserriola

Family
Asteraceae (ass-ter-AY-see-ee)
Genus
Lactuca (lak-TOO-kuh)
Species
serriola (ser-ee-OH-luh)
Synonym
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Foliage
Herbaceous
Height
36-48 in. (90-120 cm)
4-6 ft. (1.2-1.8 m)
Spacing
24-36 in. (60-90 cm)
Hardiness
Not Applicable
Danger
Parts of plant are poisonous if ingested
Bloom Color
Bright Yellow
Bloom Time
Mid Summer
Late Summer/Early Fall
Other Details
Category
Annuals
Biennials
Water Requirements
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Foliage Color
Where to Grow
Bloom Characteristics
Bloom Size
Other details
May be a noxious weed or invasive
Soil pH requirements
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
7.9 to 8.5 (alkaline)
Patent Information
Non-patented
Propagation Methods
From seed; sow indoors before last frost
From seed; direct sow after last frost
Seed Collecting
Allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds
Regional

This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:

Phoenix, Arizona

Aurora, Colorado

Waggoner, Illinois

Benton, Kentucky

Louisville, Kentucky

Dallas, Texas

San Antonio, Texas

Salt Lake City, Utah

Spokane, Washington

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Featured Videos

Gardener's Notes:

0
positive
2
neutrals
3
negatives
Sort By:
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S
Louisville, KY (Zone 6b) | February 2007 | negative

Pull this weed early and use garden gloves. I remember the painful surprize I got the first time I grabbed hold of this weed. It is ver...Read More

F
Josephine, Arlington, TX (Zone 8a) | August 2006 | neutral

Lactuca serriola is naturalized in Texas and other States.

C
Lompoc, CA (Zone 10a) | December 2005 | negative

This is a weed here in CA and the roots are very very hard to get rid of! They always re-sprout! NEVER grow this, it is a WEED!

M
M
Benton, KY (Zone 7a) | January 2005 | negative

Invasive and difficult to get rid of. The long taproots are almost impossible to dig up and the gazillions of seeds take wing and float i...Read More

S
Oklahoma City, OK (Zone 7a) | August 2002 | neutral

This plant is considered to be invasive in some states.

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