Miner’s lettuce is a very sturdy plant that can grow year-round throughout the Pacific Northwest. The plant is nutrient rich and 100 grams of it are loaded with a third of your daily requirement of Vitamin C and also includes significant amounts of Vitamin A and iron. Gold rush miners gave the plant its name when they used it to fight off diseases, including scurvy. It’s been speculated that this plant was shown to the miner’s by local Native Americans, who were known to make salads out of it. European explorers were so impressed that they brought it back to their native homelands as a food source. The naturalist Archibald Menzies may have been the first to do so when he discovered it in 1792 and brought seeds back to England’s Kew Gardens two years later. Once the British realized how beneficial the plant was, they spread it to both Cuba and Australia. For an American plant to be spread so widely is highly uncommon and speaks volumes about its popularity among the general population 200 years ago. Why it hasn’t become included in today’s standard mix has left some baffled. It’s easy to grow, remains tender even when in flower, has a mild flavor, and is pleasantly crisp. You can buy miner’s lettuce here and try it out for yourself. While it can be used as any other green leaf lettuce, miner’s lettuce is probably best served in a salad and topped with a vinaigrette dressing. With its numerous health benefits and pleasant taste, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
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