Another characteristic one can use to identify wild lettuce (Lactuca Species) is the midrib, where the trichromes or hairs are, the midrib itself is triangular shaped and not round. Thanks for all of your informative and educational videos !!
Something I've noticed while foraging wild lettuce myself is that it loves to grow in heavily disturbed soil and on elevated ground. You will almost never find this plant in ground with lots of other deeply rooting plants. Look for them in construction sites, the side of the road, or in the more disturbed portions of wild backyards. Hope this helps!
CAUTION !!!! I personally know 2 men now in their 50,s who as boys were walking along the ( Railroad tracks)) and were doing as young boys do picking plants and berries and seeds to munch on. They almost died and are both forever mentally handicapped and have to be taken care of. The reason was the Railroad had sprayed chemicals to kill the weeds along the rail and it poisoned everything. Now I'm guessing it was like DDT or something that is outlawed nowadays. Hopefully. So I'm just warning about this possibility for y'all. Same goes for construction sites and so on. I tried making this extract a couple years ago and didn't have good results. But after watching this channel showing how to do it I am ready to try it again this year when the plants are ready.
@@notyourbusinessreallyisit9495 Likely. Considering you can grow Papaver Somniferum (Opium Poppy) in Ireland and England I'd imagine so. Does anyone know if there's actually any Opiates in Wild Lettuce and if so what are the general levels?
It’s easy to confuse chicory with wild lettuce, I have an abundance of both, and the spines on the back rib of the leaves are the best way to tell them apart. You can also tell by the flowers where chicory are a beautiful lavender while the wild lettuce flowers are a bright yellow.
I not only found this video VERY HELPFUL, I also immediately subscribed, in part, because of your teaching style. Thank you for not making a 30 minute video regarding the distinguishing characteristics of wild lettuce from its lookalikes. Your astute thoroughness of fundamental details is well appreciated, but equal to your succinctness, which I appreciated every bit as much, possibly more so‼️ Thank you so much.
As a new forager iam SOOOOO pleased to have foraged this channel.. Thank you for your education.. Thank you for your easygoing feral demeanour, so easy to learn from and get along with(non-threatening).. +easy to watch..
I loved your short explanation. I'm also a new forager, I see these plants in my yard. Now, if you could kindly let us know how to prepare to them in teas, like the thistle plant??? Thank you!
Great info. I have a lot of Sow Thistle on our property and very few Wild Lettuce so this fall I’m going to harvest seeds and put them in a dedicated spot downwind from the garden. Getting this knowledge out is crucial. The pessimist in me says learn as much about natural healing as you can because…….just because. Liked, subscribed and notified.
That sounds like a solid plan! Happy to have earned your sub, Doug. Thank you for liking the video! I’m currently testing out different method of making the concentrate to try to figure out a balance between simplicity and strength. Will post an update on the channel when completed!
Sow thistle is also edible, and quite tasty. They are less bitter than dandelion. I used to have heaps growing in my yard, but its population has decreased after it was put on the menu.
READ ME: Since making this video, I have encountered some specimens of Canadian Wild Lettuce (Lactuca canadensis) in the bolted stage with no hairs on their midribs whatsoever. If this is the case, another characteristic that you can use is the shape of the midrib. Wild lettuce midribs should have a triangular cross-section! You can read more about this in my wild lettuce ID article - feralforaging.com/how-to-identify-wild-lettuce/ You can find my video on how to make a wild lettuce concentrated extract here! -> th-cam.com/video/7YwsiSbSp9g/w-d-xo.html For those asking if we sell, this is where we buy wild lettuce products from - wildlettuce.com - use code "feral" for 10% off your order!
I just came out with 50.1 grams. Here in Mississippi it’s prime time for harvesting as it just finished the flowering stage which is when I find it’s best to harvest for maximum yield of latex
Love your videos, dude. I've been foraging for decades but always love to go back to basics. One note on sow thistle. It's pronounced like cow, not like sew. A sow is a female pig & they're called sow thistles because pigs love to eat them....
I believe you’re right! I’ve heard it both ways, but I’d agree the technically correct pronunciation would be sow (like cow). Apparently they fed to so sow pigs when they are lactating because they believed the fact that the plant itself “lactates” when cut that it would help the sows as well!
I'm blown away with your knowledge of the wild plants. I'm 68, I've gathered wild plants, teas for years but my knowledge is limited to what I'm sure of. I will now have Wild Rose, Wild Plums which grows on my property. Can't wait to try the Acorn Flour. I've always thought they was poison, plus the Goldenrod Jelly. I always saved them for my honey bees. Thank you for sharing. 🐝🌻☘️🌱
As a junior high schooler I read avidly the works of Euell Gibbons. These days as an elder man I read Samuel Thayer's books. I appreciate their emphasis and focus on identification, identification, identification. Watching this video I perceive this same focus. There is no more importent factor than identification. I hope to see a continuing emphasis here.
I have a 5 foot tall musk thistle and a very large Sow thistle in my "garden" that I am proud to say I was able to identify with your video. Thanks for sharing this info, I wondered what plants they were!
I’ve been searching for a clear understandable video on how to identify Wild Lettuce. Thank you so much. I’m new to this and want to be 100% positive I know what to look for. You explained the difference perfectly
Hi we eat this in a boil-up, absolutely amazing. One pot diced beef or pork add salt boil for an hour, add wild lettuce by the bowls full, cook for half hour add potatoes, sweet potato and pumpkin cook. Magnefiko
Sounds a bit like Vietnamese phó. Shouldn't be too hard to prepare. I make and use either beef or chicken bone broth. It gets star anise, cinnamon added and cook in my instapot then strain before using in my phó. Add in fresh julienned vegs and some sliced meat. If you are trying to cook the wild lettuce then add when doing instapot since want it infused well. Can always add some leaves at end also I suppose but the infused broth might just be enough. Granted don't put potatoes in phó but might be good on the side :)
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU. THIS HAS BEEN THE UPMOST HELPFUL VIDEO ABOUT WILD LETTUCE FOR ME TO DATE. YOU ANSWERED SOME OF MY QUESTIONS AND EASED MY MIND. THANK YOU. GOING TO WATCH YOUR OTHER ONES NOW.
Thank you so much! I’m in NW Al myself and I’ve been interested in foraging for a while now but haven’t because I was confused on how to tell the true wild lettuce from look alike!! This is awesome! TY!
As a landscaper I find myself destroying beneficial plants all the time. There is something horribly twisted about the way we perceive weeds in America.
@@Justdon-s2s truth. The concept that people will buy dandelion greens at the store but can’t bring themselves to forage it. Or plantain plants that grow in abundance.
I started foraging about 3 years ago. I ABSOLUTELY love your channel. I just found it today. This has made idling this planr so much easier. THANK YOU. I quickly subscribed to uour channel. Please keep them coming. My husband uses this nightly for sleeping.
I have a ? for anyone that has used wild lettuce for real pain not just minor aches and joint pain. On another website they compared it to Ibuprofen as for the pain relief. I've seen commercials compare it to opium. What is your experience with wild lettuce for pain?? Thanks This was a great video!
I just subscribed. You have done a great job making it clear exactly what to look for , when foraging for wild lettuce. I’m new to foraging and am excited to have found your channel so that I don’t end up poisoning myself. Thank you. Julie 🥰
Love your videos!! They are very educational. You've inspired a curiosity in me of the plants around me.there are so many more I want to see. I love everything outdoors and wish there were more like you
That is the whole goal of this channel! Such kind words, thank you so much! That really means a lot to me. You inspire *me* to continue working on these videos. I hope I can continue to provide pleasing content! :D
Wow, we don't have musk thistle here, that's one crazy cool memorable plant! Great video, best I've seen on identification of wild lettuce and lookalikes.
I’m looking forward to your preparation video and uses. I’ve always wanted to make a water extract or tincture, but I’ve been hesitant because Ive been worried about dosages and potency.
A fair worry too! I will say, in my personal experience, I can take a pretty fair amount of this stuff (~3g of concentrate) without much ill effect. That being said, it is of course imperative to test small amounts yourself first to see how your body handles it!
I grew up in a small poor fishing village (in the middle of nowhere, the nearest Doctor being a 10 mile track) anyhow; as a kid I would go foraging for seaweed, berries, mushrooms, weeds , wild herbs, etc., with my grandmother who would in turn make up her own medicines. She never trained in medicine of any form, everything she knew had been handed down from her mother but the locals would always call to her with their problems and trusted her completely. I wish I had had the foresight to have paid more attention. Edit: just to add you will not find wild lettuce in Ireland.
looking forward for the video about how you use it, I have found a couple of those in my garden and have been really impressed by their height. looking forward to use it in a sort of cough syrup mixture.
Thank you greatly for your description of a completely edible food. Oddly enough I have a bunch of that in the front yard and it is getting tall quick. Makes me wish I could post a picture. Subscribed
I'm so glad to see a young person learn about plant characteristics. I'm interested in plant & fungi. I'd like to have successful veggie, herbs & fruit garden & trees, etc. Oh, I meant to say I'm glad to know that you're sharing your knowledge with others, & we need more, like you.
Your channel just came up in my Recommendations. Yours is the best site I have found clear describing how to ID wild lettuce from other plants. Just subbed. Thanks!
I thought I had dandelion in my garden so I let them grow. Boom! My garden is full of prickly lettuce. I love it. I live with pain, but this helps a lot
Thank you! We live in NW AL, and I've seen this on the property. Have subscribed for future videos, and it's encouraging to find info specific to my region!
This is excellent information. Thank you so much. I have what I think are several wild lettuce plants growing in my garden. I've been saving the them to ultimately make a tincture. I'm going out there right now to check for prickles on the bottom vein. Thank you!
Great video! Good job! I think your description was very thorough :) I’ve been hearing a lot about wild lettuce recently and wanted to know how to positively ID it since I believe I have some growing in my yard. I can’t wait to go and look for it now after seeing this video Someone posted it on Facebook in one of the plant identification groups I follow, that’s how I found it, thanks again
@@FeralForaging oh my goodness I didn't notice the name at first but yes, it was you! lol I may take you up on the offer of sending any questions if I think I have found it, just to be sure. Thanks again!
@@FeralForaging just found your page this morning. I live in PNW. I am currently living in North Cascades. We have an abundance of wild lettuce. That being said I was scared to forage not knowing enough for identity. Thank you.
I'm so glad I found you. I have been trying to educate myself on prickly lettuce for mo this now. It grows in my yard everywhere. I am also a chronic pain patient and so sick and tired of taking opiods. I heard that the lettuce helps with pain. But my question is how well does it work for pain. And what is it comparable to when using it for pain?
Great info. I'm going to be foraging for the first time this year. I did find wild garlic scapes & planted them last fall & I'm wairing for the spring rains! I'm new at this stuff, so I appreciate your videos. I'm going to look for wild lettuce & dandelion, among others. I have good friends in north AL. They're in Rogersville, near Florence. I love AL!
One of your dandelion pics looks suspiciously like common chicory (Cichorium intybus) to me. It's sometimes called Italian dandelion, especially when grown intentionally as a green, but is in a different genus from the Taraxacum. Before flowering they are easy to confuse though.
You do a great job presenting your points, excellent. We always live foraging and learning about new medicines. I was wondering about the purplish tints on the stalks, if that makes a difference, and not sure about the color and pattern of the flowers, as you say wild lettuce blooms later..??🧡👍👍
Great questions! In terms of the purplish tint, it is there, but not something I look for too closely because other plants have that too. Flowers-yes this was the one thing I didn't get to cover as it had not yet bloomed at the time this video was made. Being in the Asteraceae family, wild lettuce has inner "disk" flowers and outer "ray" flowers. L. serriola and L. canadensis both have yellow flowers. They're kind of like miniature dandelion flowers! Here is a link on the Asteracea family that talks about the flowers more! - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteraceae#Floral_heads
This is such a great video, as is your follow up on preparing the medicine. I plan to try the prep myself as soon as I accumulate enough plant material. I only know of one location in my area (NorCal) where lactuca grows, hoping to find more now that I have a better idea of the habitat and ID. Your website and channel are fantastic thank you so much!
Awesome. Keep them coming brother. Foraging info will be vital to humanity in the coming years. Appreciate what you do fam. A video on a wild winter salad would be incredible! :D
Careful whenever wild foraging. Check your local soil, water and air reports for potential contaminants for the region you are foraging in. Make your own observations for how those lands are treated by locals as well.
This is Handy Knowledge To Have and it's Very Helpful.Not Everyone Would Be Aware, But This Young Man Explains it Well Even in His Visual Demonstrations. "Thank-You"
It's in the works! Likely won't be done this year as my season is running out and I'm still experimenting to be able to bring everyone the best method possible and all the variables. In the meantime, I posted a video on a good method via this article - feralforaging.com/how-to-identify-wild-lettuce
I was thinking about processing some plants in my yard I thought were wild lettuce but after watching this I've identified them as a look alike. Oops! Thank you!
I'm having trouble on finding out when the best time is to cut down the wild lettuce and make it into medicine. I have a huge One growing it's taller then me and I'm 6 foot tall. But it does not have any flowers on it yet, but I have small ones that have flowers on them so I'm kind of confused on what's going on here? Also is it okay to harvest wild lettuce Leafs if there is grey spots on the leafs from a bug or mite? Can anybody give me some advise please, I live in Indiana by Indianapolis.
Great questions! In terms of timing, I see a lot of articles claim that it is very important to wait until after flowering in order to get the most out of this plant. That seems to be based on the idea that the plant will exude more latex after it has flowered. This may or may not be true, but it isn't important to me as I make a whole plant concentrated extract, not just an isolation of the Latex. I've harvested both before and after flowering and haven't noticed a drastic difference in effect. In terms of the gray spots/bug damage, I wouldn't use it myself. There is usually plenty of wild lettuce to go around, so I might as well save those for the bugs, fungi, and bacteria!
I take 500 mg Wild Lettuce 2x a day for a seizure disorder. I have stocked up about 6-8 months worth just in case it becomes hard to find. I want to learn to harvest it and make my own. I really appreciate your videos and hopefully will learn how to make my own extract so I don't have to purchase it. My son, who suffers severe insomnia, also take 1,000 mg every night before bed. It helps him to get at least the 3 - 4 hours a night sleep that he does get. So, not only will it benefit me to learn how to make it, it will also benefit him.
I've been suffering from back pain since 1970 when I was in the war. The VA issued many pain killers. I quit those 6 yrs ago. Still, pain returned. I live in SC but cant locate the wild lettuce. Any way to buy some seeds to try this natural pain reliever. Appreciate if you could point me in the right direction.
I cannot comment on how good this site will be, but I have heard good things about them! This species (virosa) wasn't covered in the video, but is actually better known as a "medicinal" wild lettuce. - strictlymedicinalseeds.com/product/lettuce-wild-lactuca-virosa-seeds-organic/
My farm here in Louisiana on Bayou Teche has what have seen labelled. as Florida lettuce in wildflower field books. It has a lavender sort of tiny flower here and there along the tall stem. Used it daily when suffering profound grief over loss of my mate. Sipped a bit of the latex right from the stem. Never processed more than that.
I don't know.... I guess it's all about training the eye. Where I live all the weeds look nasty, there's probably a bunch of lettuce in there I never thought of. I'm afraid to go looking 😬 everything has spikes, some of the weeds look like they could be used as medieval weapons.
In my countree Moldova we call it letuce of pigs we was collecting from garden for pig. The taste is exactly alike regular letuce ,slightly more bitter. Extremly nutritious
You’ve earned a sub since you live in north Alabama!! I’m in Pulaski, Tennessee and it’s rare to find forgers (with a YT channel that I can learn from) in my area. We’re likely to have the same plants for the most part. Thx for sharing.
Learning this made feeding my friend's guinea pig a little easier. They are able to eat wild lettuce in small amounts along with their usual greens like dandelion and spinach. My friend's guinea pig goes ham for it. He even loves chewing on the stalks.
I don’t think I’ve ever had the liquid turn brown at that stage. It’s when more of the water evaporates off and the concoction becomes more concentrated!
I love your direct approach! No chit chat, just great information.
Glad you enjoyed it!
ME TOO!!! Such a relief!
Another characteristic one can use to identify wild lettuce (Lactuca Species) is the midrib, where the trichromes or hairs are, the midrib itself is triangular shaped and not round.
Thanks for all of your informative and educational videos !!
If you break a leaf, the cross-section of the midrib will be triagular...whereas many other plants like the dandelion will be circular.
Something I've noticed while foraging wild lettuce myself is that it loves to grow in heavily disturbed soil and on elevated ground. You will almost never find this plant in ground with lots of other deeply rooting plants.
Look for them in construction sites, the side of the road, or in the more disturbed portions of wild backyards. Hope this helps!
Spot on!
Remember to practice caution when foraging in places of potential contamination, like near roads and construction sites.
UK as well?
CAUTION !!!! I personally know 2 men now in their 50,s who as boys were walking along the ( Railroad tracks)) and were doing as young boys do picking plants and berries and seeds to munch on. They almost died and are both forever mentally handicapped and have to be taken care of. The reason was the Railroad had sprayed chemicals to kill the weeds along the rail and it poisoned everything. Now I'm guessing it was like DDT or something that is outlawed nowadays. Hopefully. So I'm just warning about this possibility for y'all. Same goes for construction sites and so on. I tried making this extract a couple years ago and didn't have good results. But after watching this channel showing how to do it I am ready to try it again this year when the plants are ready.
@@notyourbusinessreallyisit9495 Likely. Considering you can grow Papaver Somniferum (Opium Poppy) in Ireland and England I'd imagine so.
Does anyone know if there's actually any Opiates in Wild Lettuce and if so what are the general levels?
It’s easy to confuse chicory with wild lettuce, I have an abundance of both, and the spines on the back rib of the leaves are the best way to tell them apart. You can also tell by the flowers where chicory are a beautiful lavender while the wild lettuce flowers are a bright yellow.
Thanks for that
Chicory is also medicinal 😊
I always went by height, shape and looks of the leaves, and the stalk thickness. Thanks so much for showing us that spine thing!!!
You are very welcome!
I not only found this video VERY HELPFUL, I also immediately subscribed, in part, because of your teaching style. Thank you for not making a 30 minute video regarding the distinguishing characteristics of wild lettuce from its lookalikes. Your astute thoroughness of fundamental details is well appreciated, but equal to your succinctness, which I appreciated every bit as much, possibly more so‼️ Thank you so much.
Thank you so much. This is something that I strive for, so I'm glad it comes across. :D
These are the characteristics of a pro - on most any subject.
I agree 100 % and also hit subscribe immediately, I could just tell, this one is good. First video (I've seen) gets an A !
@@FeralForaging 😊 props to your editor, even if it's still you! Well done.
Ditto on subscription. Very well made video and excellent instructor style.
I just picked some this morning and I think the biggest tip in finding it is that it does grow very tall and the leaves are easy to identify ☺️
Dandelion is also a superfood, it helps keep the liver clear/clean.
It's a fantastic plant! I really love dandelion root tea.
@@FeralForaging great salad addition
source?
@@bazookallamaproductions5280 source????? ...... almost everywhere.....or anywhere
superfood a term thrown around so easily
As a new forager iam SOOOOO pleased to have foraged this channel.. Thank you for your education.. Thank you for your easygoing feral demeanour, so easy to learn from and get along with(non-threatening).. +easy to watch..
You are very welcome! Glad you like it.
I loved your short explanation. I'm also a new forager, I see these plants in my yard. Now, if you could kindly let us know how to prepare to them in teas, like the thistle plant??? Thank you!
Agreed ❤
Great info. I have a lot of Sow Thistle on our property and very few Wild Lettuce so this fall I’m going to harvest seeds and put them in a dedicated spot downwind from the garden. Getting this knowledge out is crucial. The pessimist in me says learn as much about natural healing as you can because…….just because. Liked, subscribed and notified.
That sounds like a solid plan! Happy to have earned your sub, Doug. Thank you for liking the video! I’m currently testing out different method of making the concentrate to try to figure out a balance between simplicity and strength. Will post an update on the channel when completed!
You want be up wind dude or you are still going to get a load of mixed shit
Sow thistle is also edible, and quite tasty. They are less bitter than dandelion. I used to have heaps growing in my yard, but its population has decreased after it was put on the menu.
They do good near grass or where protected while they are young by other foilage
@@jamesbrown99991 Hmm, I eat dandelions but have yet to try cat's ear/sow thistle/hawkbit and other similar lookalikes
READ ME: Since making this video, I have encountered some specimens of Canadian Wild Lettuce (Lactuca canadensis) in the bolted stage with no hairs on their midribs whatsoever. If this is the case, another characteristic that you can use is the shape of the midrib. Wild lettuce midribs should have a triangular cross-section! You can read more about this in my wild lettuce ID article - feralforaging.com/how-to-identify-wild-lettuce/
You can find my video on how to make a wild lettuce concentrated extract here! -> th-cam.com/video/7YwsiSbSp9g/w-d-xo.html
For those asking if we sell, this is where we buy wild lettuce products from - wildlettuce.com - use code "feral" for 10% off your order!
I just came out with 50.1 grams. Here in Mississippi it’s prime time for harvesting as it just finished the flowering stage which is when I find it’s best to harvest for maximum yield of latex
@@DramaTubeTv Nice, yield!
@@MIRIsSTYLE yes, not illegal. It's a lot of work to make it correctly as mine didn't turnout as nice and thick as his product.
Is there another way to dehydrate without the machine or do I have to buy one?
@@brightwhitelight9445 shady dry spot with good airflow!
Thank you. This has been an herb I wanted to know how to identify. This was a very informed video and I am grateful you put it out there for people.
You are very welcome! I'm glad it was helpful. :)
Love your videos, dude. I've been foraging for decades but always love to go back to basics. One note on sow thistle. It's pronounced like cow, not like sew. A sow is a female pig & they're called sow thistles because pigs love to eat them....
I believe you’re right! I’ve heard it both ways, but I’d agree the technically correct pronunciation would be sow (like cow). Apparently they fed to so sow pigs when they are lactating because they believed the fact that the plant itself “lactates” when cut that it would help the sows as well!
@@FeralForaging Yeah. I was going to mention that but didn't since they probably thought that about all plants with a white sap. LOL!
Rabbits love wild lettuce! Boy do they rest after eating it!
@@ohwhatelse Too right, look what happened to the Flopsy Bunnies.
I've heard that word before referring to a pig but I always assumed it was spelled sal cause that's how I heard it lol
I finally know what this 13 foot thing in my yard is. Awesome.
I just found out this year, after about three years of wondering. It is a lettuce, but what kind, I am not sure.
I'm blown away with your knowledge of the wild plants. I'm 68, I've gathered wild plants, teas for years but my knowledge is limited to what I'm sure of. I will now have Wild Rose, Wild Plums which grows on my property. Can't wait to try the Acorn Flour. I've always thought they was poison, plus the Goldenrod Jelly. I always saved them for my honey bees. Thank you for
sharing. 🐝🌻☘️🌱
As a junior high schooler I read avidly the works of Euell Gibbons. These days as an elder man I read Samuel Thayer's books. I appreciate their emphasis and focus on identification, identification, identification.
Watching this video I perceive this same focus. There is no more importent factor than identification. I hope to see a continuing emphasis here.
As a former professional chef I already love this channel!
I have a 5 foot tall musk thistle and a very large Sow thistle in my "garden" that I am proud to say I was able to identify with your video. Thanks for sharing this info, I wondered what plants they were!
Awesome!
I’ve been searching for a clear understandable video on how to identify Wild Lettuce. Thank you so much. I’m new to this and want to be 100% positive I know what to look for. You explained the difference perfectly
Awesome!
Hi we eat this in a boil-up, absolutely amazing. One pot diced beef or pork add salt boil for an hour, add wild lettuce by the bowls full, cook for half hour add potatoes, sweet potato and pumpkin cook. Magnefiko
I have to try this! It sounds amazing. :D do you know what species of wild lettuce you are using for this recipe?
Thanks for sharing! Sounds like something I want to try. Now to find that wild one!
Best of luck!
Sounds a bit like Vietnamese phó. Shouldn't be too hard to prepare. I make and use either beef or chicken bone broth. It gets star anise, cinnamon added and cook in my instapot then strain before using in my phó. Add in fresh julienned vegs and some sliced meat. If you are trying to cook the wild lettuce then add when doing instapot since want it infused well. Can always add some leaves at end also I suppose but the infused broth might just be enough. Granted don't put potatoes in phó but might be good on the side :)
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU. THIS HAS BEEN THE UPMOST HELPFUL VIDEO ABOUT WILD LETTUCE FOR ME TO DATE. YOU ANSWERED SOME OF MY QUESTIONS AND EASED MY MIND. THANK YOU. GOING TO WATCH YOUR OTHER ONES NOW.
Glad I could help! 😁
This is a great thing to know with the coming times...
Thank you so much! I’m in NW Al myself and I’ve been interested in foraging for a while now but haven’t because I was confused on how to tell the true wild lettuce from look alike!! This is awesome! TY!
I’ve been destroying these plants for years without knowing their usage. Thank you for sharing!
Exactly!!! The way things have resently become! I think a person would surely want to use things on there property!
Same!
As a landscaper I find myself destroying beneficial plants all the time. There is something horribly twisted about the way we perceive weeds in America.
@@Justdon-s2s truth. The concept that people will buy dandelion greens at the store but can’t bring themselves to forage it. Or plantain plants that grow in abundance.
Love it, going to hunt for it again, with the spring :) if you just smoke the leaves leave the plant, the leaves will grow back until fall!
I live here in Arvada Colorado and prickly lettuce grows wildly all over the place
I started foraging about 3 years ago. I ABSOLUTELY love your channel. I just found it today. This has made idling this planr so much easier. THANK YOU. I quickly subscribed to uour channel. Please keep them coming.
My husband uses this nightly for sleeping.
I have a ? for anyone that has used wild lettuce for real pain not just minor aches and joint pain. On another website they compared it to Ibuprofen as for the pain relief. I've seen commercials compare it to opium. What is your experience with wild lettuce for pain?? Thanks
This was a great video!
That's the best guide I've seen yet
Fantastic video. Thank you for all the helpful photos and showing us the lookalikes. Great job 👍🙂
Thank you! I'm glad it was helpful. :D
lactuca らとぅーか
1:25
serriola トゲチシャ
3:45 canadensis
5:08
I just subscribed. You have done a great job making it clear exactly what to look for , when foraging for wild lettuce. I’m new to foraging and am excited to have found your channel so that I don’t end up poisoning myself. Thank you. Julie 🥰
Happy to have earned your sub! :D
One of the best distinguishing videos
Thank you! :D
Love your videos!! They are very educational. You've inspired a curiosity in me of the plants around me.there are so many more I want to see. I love everything outdoors and wish there were more like you
That is the whole goal of this channel! Such kind words, thank you so much! That really means a lot to me. You inspire *me* to continue working on these videos. I hope I can continue to provide pleasing content! :D
thank you so much for showing the spikes on the spine underneath the leaf, so many people are making videos calling sow thistle as wild letttuce
Definitely! Yes, this characteristic easily separates the two. :)
Wow, we don't have musk thistle here, that's one crazy cool memorable plant! Great video, best I've seen on identification of wild lettuce and lookalikes.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! :D
Rewilding my yard and this year I was blessed to have three of these tall bois come up, from out of nowhere. 🤗😍
Awesome!
Have you used wild lettuce before? What do you like to do with it? My favorite thing to do is to make a concentrated water extract!
I've found this in several locations, but I can't find the video on how to prepare it
I posted a link to a great video on this article! - feralforaging.com/how-to-identify-wild-lettuce
I’m looking forward to your preparation video and uses. I’ve always wanted to make a water extract or tincture, but I’ve been hesitant because Ive been worried about dosages and potency.
Can I just eat fresh leaves for the same effect?
A fair worry too! I will say, in my personal experience, I can take a pretty fair amount of this stuff (~3g of concentrate) without much ill effect. That being said, it is of course imperative to test small amounts yourself first to see how your body handles it!
I grew up in a small poor fishing village (in the middle of nowhere, the nearest Doctor being a 10 mile track) anyhow; as a kid I would go foraging for seaweed, berries, mushrooms, weeds , wild herbs, etc., with my grandmother who would in turn make up her own medicines. She never trained in medicine of any form, everything she knew had been handed down from her mother but the locals would always call to her with their problems and trusted her completely. I wish I had had the foresight to have paid more attention. Edit: just to add you will not find wild lettuce in Ireland.
Thankyou! Turns out I have like 50 wild lettuce plans in my yard
Glad to see a video from someone in my area! Makes things much easier
I've been harvesting this for my bunnies. They love it
I had no idea. That's so cool!
Chickens love it
Also had no idea! They’re some of the best foragers out there. :D
Happy to add more information for my gathering. Blessed be.
Right!
looking forward for the video about how you use it, I have found a couple of those in my garden and have been really impressed by their height. looking forward to use it in a sort of cough syrup mixture.
In the meantime, check out this great video on processing it that I link in the following article - feralforaging.com/how-to-identify-wild-lettuce/
Wow! Great video! I am recovering from shingles, so I needed a video explanation that was clear, thorough, and short. This was perfect. Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
Just came across your channel and find it incredibly informative. Thanks for making the videos.
Love your videos--I too am in N AL, on the eastern side. Trying to learn more about foraging and this is super helpful.
Thank you greatly for your description of a completely edible food. Oddly enough I have a bunch of that in the front yard and it is getting tall quick. Makes me wish I could post a picture.
Subscribed
Feel free to send a DM on Instagram! I also wish TH-cam had a feature to be able to posts photos in the comments.
I'm so glad to see a young person learn about plant characteristics. I'm interested in plant & fungi. I'd like to have successful veggie, herbs & fruit garden & trees, etc. Oh, I meant to say I'm glad to know that you're sharing your knowledge with others, & we need more, like you.
You are an excellent teacher and speaker. I learned a great deal from this stand alone video. Thank you!
That means a lot! Thank you. :)
Your channel just came up in my Recommendations. Yours is the best site I have found clear describing how to ID wild lettuce from other plants. Just subbed. Thanks!
You are very welcome! I’m happy to have earned your sub. :)
Thank you. I've been struggling with this.
You are very welcome!
Do you have any idea how many imposters there are in BC?
Thank you for that thorough clarification. I have some growing in my garden and this video is exactly what I needed. :)
Glad it was helpful!
I thought I had dandelion in my garden so I let them grow. Boom! My garden is full of prickly lettuce. I love it. I live with pain, but this helps a lot
I’m so glad to hear that!
3:39 Next to the dandelion you can also find a useful wild plant, plantain (Plantago spp.).
Indeed it is!
@@FeralForaging, Here are some wild edibles in my area, some might be in yours.
Lamb’s Quarters
Mullein
Plantain
Amaranth
Red-Root Pigweed
Clover (Yellow, White, Red)
Shepard’s Purse
Yarrow
Dandelion
Willow
Aspen
Spruce
Sagebrush
Rabbitbrush
Pennycress
Peppergrass
Mallow Salsify
Curly/ Yellow Dock
Cotton wood
Juniper
Prickly lettuce
Lady’s Thumb/ Redshank
Wild Mustard (Tansy, Hedge, Tumbleweed, London Rocket, etc.)
Sow Thistle
Prostrate Pigweed
Knotgrass
Kochia
Cattail
Thistle
Sunflower
Purslane
Burdock
Wild mint
Horseweed
Goldenrod
P.S. sorry, am I going to far?
Thank you! We live in NW AL, and I've seen this on the property. Have subscribed for future videos, and it's encouraging to find info specific to my region!
Happy to hear I earned your sub! Hope you’ll find future videos helpful as well. :D
This is excellent information. Thank you so much. I have what I think are several wild lettuce plants growing in my garden. I've been saving the them to ultimately make a tincture. I'm going out there right now to check for prickles on the bottom vein. Thank you!
4:23 those bugs looked so offended when you exposed them😂
They look like “scale”😝
They were like 'Uhm, excuse me? Go flip someone else's house' 😁
Leaf Hoppers
Thank you for your amazing content. You are so thorough, yet interesting. I adore watching you!
Very glad to hear it is helpful!
Great video! Good job! I think your description was very thorough :) I’ve been hearing a lot about wild lettuce recently and wanted to know how to positively ID it since I believe I have some growing in my yard. I can’t wait to go and look for it now after seeing this video
Someone posted it on Facebook in one of the plant identification groups I follow, that’s how I found it, thanks again
I’m glad to hear it was helpful! Best of luck finding it, feel free to send any other questions! If that someone was Jesse, it was probably me. :)
@@FeralForaging oh my goodness I didn't notice the name at first but yes, it was you! lol I may take you up on the offer of sending any questions if I think I have found it, just to be sure. Thanks again!
You are very welcome! :)
@@FeralForaging just found your page this morning. I live in PNW. I am currently living in North Cascades. We have an abundance of wild lettuce. That being said I was scared to forage not knowing enough for identity. Thank you.
I hope you feel more confident now! That sounds like a beautiful area. I really really want to visit PNW for the mushroom hunting!
D ef one of the better prob best video I have encountered for a description of this plant 👍👍
Many thanks for your kind words, friend! :D
I’m just starting to use wild lettuce.. great tutorial will be watching more…
Glad it was helpful!
Comprehensive tutorial.
It's appreciated.
This was an awesome video! Very informative information on how to distinguish it from other plants. Can’t wait to see more videos.👍🏼😁❤️
I’m glad you liked it! 😊
I'm so glad I found you. I have been trying to educate myself on prickly lettuce for mo this now. It grows in my yard everywhere. I am also a chronic pain patient and so sick and tired of taking opiods. I heard that the lettuce helps with pain. But my question is how well does it work for pain. And what is it comparable to when using it for pain?
Clear, accurate, concise. A great ID video....thank you! 👍
That's what I'm always going for. :) I'm glad it came across that way!
Great info. I'm going to be foraging for the first time this year. I did find wild garlic scapes & planted them last fall & I'm wairing for the spring rains! I'm new at this stuff, so I appreciate your videos. I'm going to look for wild lettuce & dandelion, among others. I have good friends in north AL. They're in Rogersville, near Florence. I love AL!
One of your dandelion pics looks suspiciously like common chicory (Cichorium intybus) to me. It's sometimes called Italian dandelion, especially when grown intentionally as a green, but is in a different genus from the Taraxacum. Before flowering they are easy to confuse though.
You do a great job presenting your points, excellent. We always live foraging and learning about new medicines. I was wondering about the purplish tints on the stalks, if that makes a difference, and not sure about the color and pattern of the flowers, as you say wild lettuce blooms later..??🧡👍👍
Great questions! In terms of the purplish tint, it is there, but not something I look for too closely because other plants have that too. Flowers-yes this was the one thing I didn't get to cover as it had not yet bloomed at the time this video was made. Being in the Asteraceae family, wild lettuce has inner "disk" flowers and outer "ray" flowers. L. serriola and L. canadensis both have yellow flowers. They're kind of like miniature dandelion flowers!
Here is a link on the Asteracea family that talks about the flowers more! - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteraceae#Floral_heads
This is such a great video, as is your follow up on preparing the medicine. I plan to try the prep myself as soon as I accumulate enough plant material. I only know of one location in my area (NorCal) where lactuca grows, hoping to find more now that I have a better idea of the habitat and ID. Your website and channel are fantastic thank you so much!
Awesome. Keep them coming brother. Foraging info will be vital to humanity in the coming years. Appreciate what you do fam. A video on a wild winter salad would be incredible! :D
Glad you liked it!
Thank u ! I just bought 3 acres and found these tall stalks..I have so much pain from arthritis this is quite a find. I will be trying this.
Careful whenever wild foraging. Check your local soil, water and air reports for potential contaminants for the region you are foraging in.
Make your own observations for how those lands are treated by locals as well.
In other words pesticides.
these are amazingly clear, comprehensive and informative videos! Thank you :)
Top video on a useful edible green! Your presentation style makes foraging sound so interesting. Thanks 👍
That’s exactly what I’m going for! Glad you liked it. :D
Great video man! I just finished camping in the Tennessee river valley. I couldn't believe how beautiful north Alabama was.
The land is a hidden gem. I'm glad you got to see it!
Excellent video! Very clear and informative! Thank you and I have subscribed! Looking forward to viewing your other videos!
Thank you for your kind words, Sandi! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it and hope you find future videos helpful as well. :D
This is Handy Knowledge To Have and it's Very Helpful.Not Everyone Would Be Aware, But This Young Man Explains it Well Even in His Visual Demonstrations. "Thank-You"
I would really appreciate your process of turning it into a concentrate from start to finish
It's in the works! Likely won't be done this year as my season is running out and I'm still experimenting to be able to bring everyone the best method possible and all the variables. In the meantime, I posted a video on a good method via this article - feralforaging.com/how-to-identify-wild-lettuce
Very best, easy to understand video I’ve watched on this plant! Thank you!!!!
I was thinking about processing some plants in my yard I thought were wild lettuce but after watching this I've identified them as a look alike. Oops! Thank you!
Glad I could help!
Very helpful! Thank you! I wished I had found this vídeo before. Two weeks ago I pulled 2 of theses ,probably 2 1/2 to 3 feet tall of my yard.
but now you know! :)
I'm having trouble on finding out when the best time is to cut down the wild lettuce and make it into medicine. I have a huge One growing it's taller then me and I'm 6 foot tall. But it does not have any flowers on it yet, but I have small ones that have flowers on them so I'm kind of confused on what's going on here? Also is it okay to harvest wild lettuce Leafs if there is grey spots on the leafs from a bug or mite? Can anybody give me some advise please, I live in Indiana by Indianapolis.
Great questions! In terms of timing, I see a lot of articles claim that it is very important to wait until after flowering in order to get the most out of this plant. That seems to be based on the idea that the plant will exude more latex after it has flowered. This may or may not be true, but it isn't important to me as I make a whole plant concentrated extract, not just an isolation of the Latex. I've harvested both before and after flowering and haven't noticed a drastic difference in effect.
In terms of the gray spots/bug damage, I wouldn't use it myself. There is usually plenty of wild lettuce to go around, so I might as well save those for the bugs, fungi, and bacteria!
@@FeralForaging Thank You for the information, I really appreciate it
I take 500 mg Wild Lettuce 2x a day for a seizure disorder. I have stocked up about 6-8 months worth just in case it becomes hard to find. I want to learn to harvest it and make my own. I really appreciate your videos and hopefully will learn how to make my own extract so I don't have to purchase it. My son, who suffers severe insomnia, also take 1,000 mg every night before bed. It helps him to get at least the 3 - 4 hours a night sleep that he does get. So, not only will it benefit me to learn how to make it, it will also benefit him.
Thanks for video! I identified it, and I have lot of them growing around. How to preppare it into that dark brown oil?
Excited for you! This link provides some directions for making a concentrated water extract - feralforaging.com/how-to-identify-wild-lettuce
Thanks!
Hey, thank you so much! :D
I've been suffering from back pain since 1970 when I was in the war. The VA issued many pain killers. I quit those 6 yrs ago. Still, pain returned. I live in SC but cant locate the wild lettuce. Any way to buy some seeds to try this natural pain reliever. Appreciate if you could point me in the right direction.
Let me know too please
I cannot comment on how good this site will be, but I have heard good things about them! This species (virosa) wasn't covered in the video, but is actually better known as a "medicinal" wild lettuce. - strictlymedicinalseeds.com/product/lettuce-wild-lactuca-virosa-seeds-organic/
See my response to Johnson Wynn.
My farm here in Louisiana on Bayou Teche has what have seen labelled. as Florida lettuce in wildflower field books. It has a lavender sort of tiny flower here and there along the tall stem. Used it daily when suffering profound grief over loss of my mate. Sipped a bit of the latex right from the stem. Never processed more than that.
The best sleep medicine. I made the reduction and it works great
Glad to hear it has worked well for you! It does for me too, thankfully. :D
I don't know.... I guess it's all about training the eye. Where I live all the weeds look nasty, there's probably a bunch of lettuce in there I never thought of. I'm afraid to go looking 😬 everything has spikes, some of the weeds look like they could be used as medieval weapons.
😂 I’m guessing you are probably seeing some thistle out there! It does take training the eye, developing the “eyes of a forager” as I call it!
@@justacinnamonbun8658 Judges 8: 7, 16 King James Bible.
You guessed right. 😆
AAAHHH! Finally someone gave me confidence to distinguish! TY!!!
I'm glad it was helpful! :D
I am the guy that ends up with the dandelion salad , cause I have no wild lettuce growing amongst my weeds, unbelievable man… 😝
In my countree Moldova we call it letuce of pigs we was collecting from garden for pig.
The taste is exactly alike regular letuce ,slightly more bitter. Extremly nutritious
Indeed it is!
You’ve earned a sub since you live in north Alabama!! I’m in Pulaski, Tennessee and it’s rare to find forgers (with a YT channel that I can learn from) in my area. We’re likely to have the same plants for the most part. Thx for sharing.
I think so too! Happy to have earned your sub. :D
Learning this made feeding my friend's guinea pig a little easier. They are able to eat wild lettuce in small amounts along with their usual greens like dandelion and spinach. My friend's guinea pig goes ham for it. He even loves chewing on the stalks.
thank you! loving these videos and their usefulness, especially in a crisis scenario, which apparently our governments keep pushing us toward
Hello from Clanton,Alabama! Just found your video on wild lettuce and subscribed. Thanks for the info.
Thanks for the sub!
I'm making my wild lettuce in the crockpot. When does it turn brown? My liquid is still green.
I don’t think I’ve ever had the liquid turn brown at that stage. It’s when more of the water evaporates off and the concoction becomes more concentrated!
@@FeralForaging ok. Thank you
Thank you! I just positively ID'd the wild lettuce growing in my upper Midwestern zone 5 yard thanks to this video. Subscribing for life!
Thank you so much for the video! It has helped so much in identifying wild lettuce from the "lookalikes". I'm looking forward to your other videos.
Glad it was helpful! :D More to come.