Page 130 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Wild Lettuce, Lactuca spp.

(ASTERACEAE)

WILD LETTUCE, Opium Lettuce or Prickly Lettuce
looks like a thistle with dandelion leaves, and has a
milky sap. It is a biennial, with first year plants growing
L. serriola
A. caudatum
leaves in a basal rosette, and second year plants putting
up a bristly purplish-green or light-green flower stalk
reaching 3-5 ft. (1-1.5m) tall. We will discuss 3 species:
L.canadensis, L. virosa, and L. serriola.
FLOWER: Inflorescence with many small, yellow, dan-
delion-like flowerheads bloom from July to September.
Flowerheads measure 0.3 inches (0.8cm) across, with L. virosa
12-25 rays, and rise well above the leaves on a very tall
KEY MEDICINAL USES: Wild Lettuce sap has anti-
stem. Seeds ripen from August to October.
spasmodic, digestive, diuretic, and sedative proper-
LEAF: Alternate leaves vary from lobed to lance shaped, ties. Its sap is used for pain relief.
and from toothed to smooth. In general, deeply lobed,
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Harvest young leaves,
pointy-toothed basal leaves grow up to 10 inches
about 3-4 inches (7-10cm) long. Boil 10-15 min. with
(25cm) long and 3 inches (8cm) wide and gradually
one water change to remove bitterness.
change shape and size along the stems. Leaves growing
SAUTÉED WILD LETTUCE SHOOTS AND LEAVES:
on the flowering stem gradually become much shorter
Simmer young leaves and shoots for 10-15 min., until
and lance-shaped; some have hairs along the mid vein
water tastes bitter. Remove from water, sauté in but-
on their undersides, and may be toothed or not.
ter, and season to taste.
EDIBLE PARTS: leaves, young stems
Wild Licorice, Glycyrrhiza

lepidota (FABACEAE)

WILD LICORICE or American Licorice grows 16-39
inches (40-100cm) tall and is covered in fine sticky
hairs. It has long, tough, brown roots that have a flavor
like licorice. It tolerates heavy clay and saline soils.
FLOWER: Flowers are found in spike-like clusters which
are cone shaped or cylindrical. They are greenish white,
cream, or pale yellow and ½ inch (12mm) long. They
resemble pea flowers having a long erect upper petal.
Flowers become oblong, green, ½ inch (12mm) seed-
pods that are covered in hooked bristles. They turn Matt Lavin, CC-BY-SA-2.0 Dcrjsr, CC-BY-3.0
brown and contain a few bean-like seeds.
and taste like sweet potatoes but are fibrous. They
LEAF: Leaves are compound with 11-19 leaflets and can be chewed to clean teeth, or for teething children.
inches (30cm) long. Each leaflet is 1 ½ inch (3.5cm) long Can be used for flavoring and sweetener. Sugar in the
and ½ inch (12 mm) wide. Leaves are often sticky. root is a substance 50 times sweeter than sugar.
EDIBLE PARTS: roots and tender young shoots SWEET LICORICE DRINK: Dried licorice root, 4-inch
KEY MEDICINAL USES: All parts but mostly roots are (10cm) piece pounded into powder. 5 tbsp. dried
medicinal and may aid coughs, chest pains, and stomach peppermint leaves. Steep in 1 gallon (4L) cold wa-
aches. ter overnight. Strain and enjoy the refreshing, thirst
quenching drink.
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Roots can be eaten raw
or cooked. They are best harvested in fall once the plant WARNING: Very young growth can be poisonous to
has begun to die back. It can be dried for later use. They animals.
are long, sweet, and fleshy. They can be slow roasted
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