Lactuca canadensis / Canada lettuce

Lactuca canadensis L.

Common names: Canada lettuce

Cherokee: unigisogahɑstí (Banks 1953:130)

Form: herb; annual, biennial.

Food

Leaves – eaten in salads by the Cherokee (Banks 1953:131).

Medicine

Sap – the milky latex was rubbed on contact dermatitis caused by poison ivy exposure by the Menominee (Smith 1923:26).

Experimentation

I regularly use a congener which is common in my area (Lactuca serriola) as a soporific. I take a large amount of the cut-up foliage, either fresh or dried, place it in a pot of water, and simmer it for 10 to 20 minutes on low (not boiling, but with bubbles visible on the bottom of the pot. I use enough plant matter to yield an infusion that is dark and almost opaque. I drink about a pint of that before bedtime on an empty stomach. It is an excellent facilitator of sleep. It also induces vivid dreams.

I have tried using the dried latex as a tea or for smoking, but find the above method easier and more effective.

Lactuca canadensis has similar properties, and while I have not found it in person yet, can most likely be used in the same way.

I have also used L. serriola as greens many times. But I find it a bit too bitter fresh, or acceptable in small amounts when using the youngest leaves. It is far better cooked. If it is parboiled or boiled, this removes much of the bitterness.