Details

Edible Qualities

Butterhead Lettuce is an annual vegetable plant that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. The crinkled oval green leaves which emerge light green in spring are usually harvested from mid spring to early fall. The leaves have a mild taste and a soft texture.

The leaves are most often used in the following ways:

  • Fresh Eating
  • Eating When Cooked/Prepared

Care

Planting & Growing

Butterhead Lettuce will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 inches. When planted in rows, individual plants should be spaced approximately 8 inches apart. This vegetable plant is an annual, which means that it will grow for one season in your garden and then die after producing a crop. Because of its relatively short time to maturity, it lends itself to a series of successive plantings each staggered by a week or two; this will prolong the effective harvest period.

This plant is typically grown in a designated vegetable garden. It does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average conditions that are neither too wet nor too dry, and is very intolerant of standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is quite intolerant of urban pollution, therefore inner city or urban streetside plantings are best avoided. This species is not originally from North America..

Butterhead Lettuce is a good choice for the vegetable garden, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing the canvas against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

Family Name Lettuce
Foliage Color Green
Genus Name Lactuca
Edible Yes
Growth Rate Medium
Hardiness Zone (annual)
Harvest Season Mid Spring to Early Fall
Landscape Uses Garden, Container
Light Needs Full Sun, Partial Shade
Mature Height 12 inches
Mature Width 6 inches
Prune Time Should Not Need Pruning
Water Needs Average