Lactuca sativa

Lactuca sativa (lettuce) — the world's most popular salad leaf, grown since ancient Egypt, from crisp cos to soft butterhead and loose-leaf. The botanical home of our lettuce range.

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  • Lollo Bionda Lettuce seeds (Lactuca sativa) – annual vegetable Lollo Bionda Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Lollo Bionda Lettuce Seeds Lactuca Sativa Annual Variety
    €4,95

    Curly loose leaf lettuce for garden beds lollo bionda lettuce seeds produce a decorative, loose leaf lettuce variety with an open rosette and strongly cut, curly leaves. The foliage is light green to yellow-green with...
  • Lettuce May Queen seeds (Lactuca sativa) – annual vegetable Lettuce May Queen (Lactuca sativa) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Lettuce May Queen Seeds Lactuca Sativa Annual
    €4,45

    May Queen lettuce for crisp garden heads lettuce may queen seeds are a classic annual choice for gardeners who enjoy a reliable head lettuce variety with tender texture and an attractive, fresh green colour. Often...
  • Butterhead Lettuce Grosse Blonde Paresseuse seeds (Lactuca sativa) – annual vegetable Butterhead Lettuce Grosse Blonde Paresseuse (Lactuca sativa) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Butterhead Lettuce Seeds Lactuca Sativa Annual Grosse Blonde Paresseuse
    €4,95

    Butterhead lettuce for reliable summer garden harvests butterhead lettuce seeds are ideal for growers looking for a classic butterhead lettuce variety that forms generous, well-shaped heads in warm-season conditions. This annual selection is known as...
  • Lettuce Ubriacona seeds (Lactuca sativa) – annual vegetable Lettuce Ubriacona (Lactuca sativa) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Lettuce Seeds Ubriacona Lactuca Sativa Annual Variety
    €4,95

    Ubriacona lettuce for crisp, decorative heads lettuce seeds Ubriacona are a fast growing lettuce variety valued for large, round heads and strongly frilled leaves. This head lettuce variety seeds selection develops fresh green foliage with...
  • Lettuce Milan seeds (Lactuca sativa) – annual vegetable Lettuce Milan (Lactuca sativa) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Lettuce Milan Seeds Lactuca Sativa Annual Variety
    €5,95

    Professional butterhead lettuce for uniform heads lettuce milan seeds are an annual leaf vegetable option valued for producing very uniform, closed heads with a classic butterhead look. This head lettuce variety Milan is suited to...
  • Lettuce Gaardenier Butterhead seeds (Lactuca sativa) – annual vegetable Lettuce Gaardenier Butterhead (Lactuca sativa) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Lettuce Seeds Gaardenier Lactuca Sativa Annual Butterhead Variety
    €4,95

    Butterhead lettuce for summer heads and salads lettuce seeds for the Gaardenier annual butterhead variety are a reliable choice for gardeners who want substantial, well-formed heads through the warmer part of the season. This is...
  • Lettuce Hilde Ii seeds (Lactuca sativa) – annual vegetable Lettuce Hilde Ii (Lactuca sativa) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Lettuce Hilde Ii Seeds Lactuca Sativa Annual Variety
    €4,45

    Butterhead lettuce for spring and summer beds lettuce hilde ii seeds are a reliable choice for gardeners looking for a classic head lettuce variety with firm, tender heads. This annual vegetable belongs to Lactuca sativa...

Lactuca sativa — lettuce

Lactuca sativa is the botanical name for lettuce, the most popular salad leaf in the world and a fast, easy annual in the daisy family (Asteraceae). It is the species behind our whole lettuce range within the leafy greens collection.

History & origin

Lettuce was first cultivated in ancient Egypt, grown more than 4,000 years ago — at first for the oil pressed from its seeds, and later for its leaves. The Egyptians considered it a sacred plant linked to the fertility god Min, and it appears in their tomb paintings. The Greeks and Romans took up lettuce enthusiastically as a salad and a supposed sleep aid, and from there it spread across Europe and, eventually, the world.

Its name points to the milky sap that seeps from a cut stem: Lactuca comes from the Latin lac, “milk,” while sativa means “cultivated.”

Botanical characteristics

Lettuce comes in a wonderful range of forms, all the same species: crisp hearting types like iceberg and cos (romaine), soft butterheads, and loose-leaf and oak-leaf varieties for cut-and-come-again picking. Leaves run from pale green to deep red and bronze, smooth to frilly. In summer heat or long days lettuce bolts, turning bitter as it runs to flower. Quick loose-leaf types are some of our most popular fast-growing vegetables, and lettuce pairs naturally with spinach and chicory in the salad bed.

Growing Lactuca sativa from seed

Sow little and often for a continuous supply, direct or in modules, keeping the soil cool and moist. Lettuce seed can be reluctant to germinate in heat, so sow during the cooler parts of the day in summer, and pick loose leaves regularly or harvest whole hearts as they firm. Our vegetable sowing calendar and watering guide help you keep it sweet and tender.

Ready to grow lettuce? Browse the varieties or learn the basics first.

Related categories: Lettuce · Leafy Greens · Spinach · Fast-Growing Veg · All Vegetables

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lactuca sativa?
It is the botanical name for lettuce, a fast-growing salad annual.

Where does lettuce originate?
From ancient Egypt, where it was grown over 4,000 years ago, at first for its seed oil.

What does the name mean?
Lactuca comes from the Latin for “milk,” after the milky sap, and sativa means “cultivated.”

Why does lettuce bolt?
Summer heat and long days make it run to seed and turn bitter — sow in cooler conditions and keep it moist.

How do I get a steady supply?
Sow a little and often, every couple of weeks, for continuous picking.