Wild Lettuce Seeds, Medicinal plants, Organic Lactuca Virosa LC4020

Wild Lettuce, Lactuca virosa, also called bitter lettuce, is the tall wild cousin of garden lettuce and one of the old standbys of the traditional herb garden. It has been grown and written about by herbalists for centuries, and it is still a must-have for anyone building a collection of historic medicinal plants.

The first year it makes a low rosette of blue-green leaves. The second year it sends up a sturdy flowering stalk that can reach 5 to 6 feet, topped with small pale yellow, dandelion-like flowers. The stems and leaves carry the milky white sap that the lettuce family is named for, and the leaves are strongly bitter, nothing like a salad lettuce.

Sow in early spring or in fall, on the surface of the soil. The seed needs light to sprout, so press it in and do not cover it. It germinates best cool, and a few weeks of cold, moist conditions beforehand helps. Grow in full sun to part shade in ordinary, well-drained soil. It is not fussy and needs little care once established.

It reseeds itself freely, so a patch will carry on year after year if you let a few plants go to seed.

Likes temps in the 50-60 degree range to germinate
Hardy in zones 5-10
Height: 5 to 6 feet in flower

This is for 20 organic, non-GMO seeds.

We combine shipping on all seed orders, you pay one flat fee for as many seeds as you would like for no additional shipping. Orders over $35 for any combination of items ship for free to the US.

All of our seeds are tested and guaranteed. Never GMO.