Herb: Mission Lettuce


Latin name: Dudleya edulis


Synonyms: Cotyledon edulis, Echeveria edulis, Stylophyllum edulis


Family: Crassulaceae (Stonecrop Family)



Edible parts of Mission Lettuce:

Leaves - raw. Fleshy. They are considered to be a delicacy. Stems - slightly sweet and refreshing to chew, though they leave a chalky taste in the mouth.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Perennial

Height:
50 cm
(1 foot)

Flowering:
June
to July

Habitat of the herb:

Rocky hillsides below 1,000 metres. High elevations in the Sonoran Desert.

Propagation of Mission Lettuce:

Seed - we have no details for this species but suggest sowing the seed in spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of side shoots in the summer. Dry the stem for 24 hours before planting in a very sandy soil mix. The main stem can also be used, the parent plant will then produce new plantlets at the cut edge.

Cultivation of the herb:

Rocky hillsides below 1,000 metres. High elevations in the Sonoran Desert.

Medicinal use of Mission Lettuce:

None known

Known hazards of Dudleya edulis:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.