Cicerbita alpina aka Alpine Blue Sow Thistle

Cicerbita alpina is a perennial in the daisy family, Asteraceae. Gardeners may know it as alpine sowthistle or blue lettuce. Other names include mountain sowthistle and cabbage lettuce. Its native range lies in Europe, including Britain. Records span northern, central, southern, and eastern parts of Europe. In Scotland, it is a very rare native plant. There, it grows on damp rock in alpine sites. It belongs to temperate regions rather than warm climates.

The plant reaches about 3.3 feet (1 metre) in height. Its spread is about 1 foot (0.3 metres). It has leaves and stems that yield milky sap. Flowers appear from July to September. Each flower has both male and female organs. Bees, beetles, butterflies, and moths pollinate the flowers. The plant can also set seed through self-fertilisation. Seeds ripen between August and October, overlapping the flowering season.

In gardens, give it some shade and moist soil. Light woodland shade suits its needs. It prefers soil rich in humus, with good drainage. Sandy soil is preferred, though loam is also suitable. Choose mildly acid to neutral soil rather than alkaline ground. PFAF lists it for USDA zones 4–8. It also reports hardiness to at least −20°C. Cultivated beds offer a place to grow this mountain native. Its summer flowers provide food for several groups of pollinating insects.

Young shoots and stems can be eaten raw after peeling. Older stems can also be peeled and eaten raw. Both can taste bitter, which limits their appeal as food. PFAF also lists the leaves among the edible parts. It reports no known hazards, rather than proving complete safety. The leaves and milky sap have a history of herbal use. People used them to promote urine flow and soothe inflammation externally. PFAF notes that such use is now uncommon. These records describe past use, not evidence of treatment benefits.

Raise plants from seed in a cold frame in spring. Cover the seed lightly and keep the compost from drying. Move seedlings into separate pots once large enough to handle. Plant them in their final positions during summer. Spring division offers another way to increase plants. PFAF recommends potting divisions and letting roots establish under cold-frame cover. They can then go out in summer or the next spring. PFAF does not flag the species as weedy.