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Scientific Name:
Lactuca sativa
Pronunciation:
lac-TOO-sa sah-TEE-vah
Common Name:
lettuce
Family Name:
Asteraceae
Plant Type:
Annual, Weed (horticultural)
Key ID Features:
Leaves colorful, mostly green reddish or rarely variegated, yellow, gold or bluish.

Habit:
Upright
Form:
Oval - vertical
Texture:
Coarse
Mature Height:
0.7 - 1.3m
Mature Spread:
0.3 - 0.6m
Growth Rate:
Fast
Origin:
Europe (Siberia to the Mediterranean)
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 2: (-46 to -40 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun
Soil/Growing Medium:
Rocky or gravelly or dry
Landscape Uses:
Urban agriculture
Additional Info:
Google. Note: many varieties exist such as romaine lettuce and iceberg lettuce (with notched, scalloped, frilly or ruffly leaf varieties). Red varieties shown may include L. alkindus.

Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Basal
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible, Pinnate venation
Surfaces:
Glabrous
Colour in Summer:
Green, Dark-red
Colour in Fall:
Yellow
Shapes:
Oblong, Orbicular, Spatulate
Apices:
Rounded
Bases:
Truncate
Margins:
Dentate, Entire, Undulate (wavy)

Inflorescence Type:
Head (capitulum)
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Corolla Shape:
Ligulate
Ovary Position:
Inferior
Colour (petals):
Not showy, Yellow
Flower Time at Peak:
Aug, Sep
Additional Info:
Leaves not considered edible after flowering

Fruit Type:
Cypsela (achene + calyx)
Fruit Colour:
Brown, Silver
Fruiting Time:
Sep, Oct
Additional Info:
Fruit insignificant

Bark or Stem Colour:
Organ Modifications:
Storage tap root
Propagation:
Seed
Other:
Be sure to remove plants before flowers fade.
Pest Susceptibility:
Abiotic disorder, Mildew, Slugs or snails
Specific Pests:
Rabbit, Downy mildew

Course(s):
  • not used (off campus)
Location(s):
  • (NCA)  Not Currently Available : not used
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