The difference between prickly lettuce and dandelion

Both prickly lettuce and dandelion are wild herbs and look similar. Some people mistake them for the same plant. In fact, prickly lettuce and dandelion are two completely different plants with obvious differences between them. Below we will analyze in detail the differences between them.

The difference between the two

1. Different plant species

Although both prickly lettuce and dandelion are herbaceous plants, they belong to different plant species. Prickly lettuce is a species of Thistle family, while dandelion is a species of Asteraceae family. Although their leaves are similar, there are obvious differences in their forms. The stems of prickly lettuce have multiple branches at the base, which mostly extend outward, while the stems of dandelions are upright.

2. Different growth characteristics

There is also a big difference in the reproduction method of prickly lettuce and dandelion. The seeds of prickly lettuce will fall off naturally after they mature, and new life will grow next year. Dandelion has a unique capitula. After its seeds mature, they will have pompoms formed by white coronal hairs. After the flowers bloom, these pompoms will float to many places with the wind. This way of spreading seeds is a characteristic that other plants do not have.

3. Different effects

The effects of prickly lettuce and dandelion are also different. Prickly lettuce can treat high blood pressure and hepatitis. It can also be crushed and applied directly to the body, which has a good therapeutic effect on common bleeding and swelling and pain in humans. In addition, it can also treat many common diseases such as vomiting blood and blood in the stool, as well as irregular menstruation in women. The medicinal effect of dandelion is not as good as that of prickly lettuce. It can only clear away heat and detoxify and promote diuresis and reduce swelling. However, its edible effect is much higher than that of prickly lettuce. It can supplement the human body with a variety of vitamins and trace elements, promote human metabolism, and improve human immunity. Fresh dandelions can be fried or served cold.