Tall Blue Lettuce

Lactuca biennis

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Asteraceae
Genus:
Lactuca
Species:
Lactuca biennis

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Annual | Biennial
Growth Habit:
Forb/herb
Height:
8-12 ft
Light Requirements:
Part Shade
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Months:
jul, aug, sep, oct
Bloom Colors:
White, Blue

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Cucullia lucifuga, Intermediate Hooded Owlet (Cucullia intermedia), Phaneta ornatula, Thyraylia bunteana

Reported Fauna Sightings

Bees: American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
moist, rich, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
good drainage preferred
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
commonly found in forested areas

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Single-step cold-moist stratification for temperate woodland species. for 60–120 days

Notes: Seeds require light for germination; do not cover.

Source: OpenAI GPT-4o