Prickly Lettuce (Noun)
Meaning
European annual wild lettuce having prickly stems; a troublesome weed in parts of United States.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- Prickly lettuce, also known as Lactuca serriola, is a common European wildflower now naturalized in many parts of North America.
- Farmers in the region often find themselves battling with prickly lettuce that competed with their crops for water and nutrients.
- Prickly lettuce germinates in late winter or early spring, spreading its seeds through the summer months as it outcompetes surrounding vegetation.
- Homeowners must eradicate prickly lettuce by pulling out the entire root system in order to prevent regrowth and potential weed spread.
- Wildlife experts point to prickly lettuce as a prime example of a single-species invasive plant that disrupts native plant communities across US regions.