Prickly Lettuce Tea

I’ve pulled this weed out of my garden for years, but age and my husband’s shoulder replacement surgery have made this one of the most valuable plants in my garden. After surgery, opiates were prescribed for his pain. While researching alternatives to opiate pharmaceuticals, my husband found references to prickly lettuce, a close relative of the domestic lettuce. He found that prickly lettuce has been used as an alternative to opium in the past which led us on a search for the best practices with this valuable weed in order to alleviate pain.

I pulled a few plants. secured their stems with a rubber band and hung them to dry in the kitchen window. When dried, I stripped the leaves from the stems and processed them in a blender to make tea leaves. An herbal tea can be made by pouring one cup of boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons of the dried leaves of prickly lettuce and allowing them to infuse for 10-15 minutes. This infusion can then be consumed up to three times daily. I make it by the pitcher and store it in the refrigerator for a cold drink on a summer day,

Common Names and Synonyms

You might know prickly lettuce as compass plant, Lactuca scariola, wild opium ‘China Lettuce, Chinese Lettuce, wild Lettuce, English Thistle, or Horse Thistle,

The whole plant has a milky sap that contains lactucarium which is used in medicine for its painkilling, anti-spasmodic, digestive, diuretic, narcotic and sedative properties. Lactucarium has the effects of a feeble opium, but without its tendency to cause digestive upsets, nor is it addictive. It is taken internally in the treatment of insomnia, anxiety, neuroses, hyperactivity in children, dry coughs, whooping cough, rheumatic pain. And since it has no adverse or addictive side effects, you can take it without fear. It has become popular among holistic medicine users as well as survivalists because it grows so readily all around the world. It’s 100% legal in the United States. Exercise caution when using any wild plants and make sure you have positively identified the plant.

Always check with your doctor before using any herbal preparation, especially if you have a known medical condition and/or are on any prescription medication. Do not use if you are nursing or pregnant. Any medical information on this website is for informational purposes only. Exercise caution when using any wild plants and make sure you have positively identified the plant.