Annual Blue Lettuce, Tall Blue Lettuce

[Lactuca biennis (Moench) Fern.]

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

▲▼ young rosettes

▲ ▼ young, maturing plants

▲  stem with leaves showing triangular tip of  leaf

▲   mature plant (right) with emerging inflorescence (left)

▲ ▼  inflorescence and flowers; note dark purplish-brown markings on bracts below flowers

Annual Blue Lettuce:

*    Is a tall-growing (4-8 feet tall) midwest native found on roadsides and open woods, glades, with tiny pale blue flowers.

*    Not usually a serious weed problem; plant has milky sap

*    Appears similar to prickly lettuce and tall lettuce. 

*    Annual Blue Lettuce will not have the spines on underside of the leaf along the midrib that are found on prickly lettuce.

*    Tall lettuce has more narrow (arrow-like) leaf tips, and has yellow flowers.