Wild Lettuce (Prickly Lettuce): Edible Weed with a Taproot

Wild lettuce (Lactuca serriola) starts as a dandelion-like rosette but bolts into a tall, spiny stem. Good news: it's edible (young leaves in salads), and it has a long taproot that's manageable with a dandelion fork or water weeder.

Control Options

• Dig the taproot before it seeds.
• Spot-spray with non-selective herbicide (organic or synthetic).
• In lawns, use broadleaf herbicides like Bonide Weed Beater, Ortho MAX, or Bayer Season Long Control.

If you like bitter greens, harvest young leaves before flowering—otherwise, remove it before those 240,000+ seeds per plant disperse.