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LETTUCE, PRICKLY
 Lettuce, Prickly
[Lactuca serriola L.]
DESCRIPTION
Prickly
lettuce can be a summer annual or biennial. The woody stems of this plant are
hollow, and form in the middle of a basal rosette of leaves. Leaves are deeply
lobed, and clasp the base of the stem. The leaf shape is distinctive, with the
indentation between lobes forming a "C" shape. Leaves are also
oriented at an angle to the stem, with spines on the midrib and base of the
leaf. Prickly lettuce has yellow flowers, but these can appear to be white from
a distance due to the wooly hairs (pappus) on each seed. This weed is most
common in row crops and roadside areas.
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Characteristic
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Description
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Growth Season
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summer annual or biennial weed
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Growth Habit
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early in the season it is a basal rosette, and then produces an
upright stem in late summer
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Leaflet Number
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one
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Leaf Margin
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lobed
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Leaf Hairs
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prickles are found on the midvein on the lower surface of the
leaf
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Leaf/Leaflet Shape
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long and linear leaves with rounded notches in leaf margin
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Leaf Width
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1/2 - 2 inches
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Leaf Venation
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pinnate
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Leaf Arrangement
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alternate
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Root Type
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taproot
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Flower Color
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yellow
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prickly lettuce
stem, leaves
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prickly lettuce
roots
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Note: Still not
sure this is the right weed? The Turf
& Weed Identification Decision Aid may help. Check the TurfFiles glossary for definitions
of unfamiliar terms.
CULTURAL
CONTROL
Proper turf
management is important for biennial broadleaf weed control. Maintain a dense,
actively growing turf through proper mowing, fertilizing, and watering
practices. Mow at the proper height for your selected adapted turfgrass. Coring
and traffic control reduce compaction and encourage desirable turfgrass
competition. It is best to control this biennial broadleaf weed in spring or
fall, if actively growing at these times.
CHEMICAL
CONTROL
Controlled postemergence with
3-way broadleaf herbicide mixtures.
© North Carolina State University. This information sheet was prepared
by Fred Yelverton, Bridget R. Lassiter, Gail G. Wilkerson, Leon Warren, Travis Gannon, Jenifer J. Reynolds, and Gregory S. Buol. Department of Crop
Science, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, North Carolina State
University. Prepared July 15, 2008. Available on-line at
www.turffiles.ncsu.edu. This publication was made possible through a grant
provided by the Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research & Education
(CENTERE) whose purpose is to support worthwhile projects that will benefit
both the private sector and the public, and protect the environment.
KEYWORDS FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE:
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