Prickly Lettuce (Lactuca serriola) vs Prairie Lettuce (Lactuca ludoviciana)
This guide is under construction and has not been published yet. It may have errors. When in doubt, double-check other sources for definitive ID.These species are sometimes confused, as both have prickles on their leaf margins and lower midribs. The introduced L. serriola ranges both farther east and west and has higher light requirements. The native L. ludoviciana is more restricted to the Great Plains, with only scattered populations east and west of that region, tolerates more shade, and is more restricted to richer soils.
Prickly Lettuce (Lactuca serriola) | Prairie Lettuce (Lactuca ludoviciana) |
An annual native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, introduced to North America where it is often considered invasive. | |
 Flowers are consistently yellow. Flowerheads have fewer florets (12-20) leading to a coarser-textured appearance at a glance. Photo © Aaron Liston, CC BY 4.0. |  Flowers are often yellow, but may also be pale blue or reddish. Flowerheads have more florets (20-50+) leading to a finer-textured appearance at a glance. Photo © Jeff D Hansen, CC BY 4.0. |
References & External Resources
These short lists show only links helpful for ID. For a complete list of references and resources also covering other aspects of ecology, visit the links section of the full article on each plant, which is the first entry here.
