Knowledgebase
Identification of this invasive species #778053
Asked November 18, 2021, 2:46 PM EST
Clackamas County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi. It looks to me like Lactuca muralis, which it seems is now more properly called Mycelis muralis. According to this page from Kew Gardens, it is native to Europe and North Africa but has been introduced to the Pacific Northwest, including Oregon. The leaves seem to be a pretty good match for the photos shown there. However, the image you sent is relatively low quality (only 640 x 640 pixels), so I can’t see much detail, and with only a single image, it is difficult to get perspective. In addition, flowers tend to be more diagnostic than leaves, as leaves are much more variable (both within a single plant and among plants growing under different conditions). According to this page from Oregon Flora, the common name for M. muralis is wall lettuce, and the leaf images there also look like a good match. If you can get a close look at a flower, that should help confirm that identification.