Growing lettuce

Authors

Margaret Graham, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia

Publication Date

2-1994

Series Number

Bulletin 4282

Publisher

Department of Agriculture, Western Australia

City

Perth

ISSN

0729-0012

Abstract

The commonly cultivated lettuce, Lactuca sativa, is an annual belonging to the sunflower family. It has been cultivated for over 2500 years, and is a popular salad vegetable.

There are three main subspecies commonly grown.

• IL. sativa ssp capitata - Head type - Crisphead is a lettuce with a firm head and brittle leaves. It is the major lettuce type grown in Australia and is also known as iceberg lettuce. - Butterhead (buttercrunch, mignonette) lettuce has soft, pale leaves and a delicate buttery flavour. It is of major importance in Europe, where it is grown as a greenhouse crop.
• L. sativa ssp longifolia - Cos or Romaine -This lettuce has upright growth and long narrow leaves. Its leaves are sweeter than other types. The cos is liable to bolt in summer.
• L. sativa ssp crispa - Loose leaf - Loose leaf lettuce does not form a head and can be quite bitter in flavour. There are many variations, for example, festival and coral lettuces. It is used in mesclun mixes, where it is combined with various herbs and flower petals, and is increasing in popularity.

This Bulletin mainly discusses field grown crisphead lettuce that is commercially produced in Western Australia

Number of Pages

11

Keywords

Lettuce; Western Australia; Pest control; Cultivation

Disciplines

Agribusiness | Agricultural Economics | Agricultural Science | Agronomy and Crop Sciences | Horticulture | Operations and Supply Chain Management | Plant Biology | Plant Breeding and Genetics

Comments

Replaces Bulletin 4003

Recommended Citation

Graham, M. (1994), Growing lettuce. Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Perth. Report Bulletin 4282.
https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/hc_publishedrpts/9

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