VegetableLettuce
Pointed Taiwan Sword Leaf Lettuce
Pointed Taiwan Sword Leaf Lettuce is a Chinese stem lettuce with a fascinating backstory and exceptional eating quality. This heirloom annual grows as a compact plant reaching just 5-10 inches tall, making it easy to fit into any garden bed or container. In 70-79 days, you'll harvest crispy, delicious stalks and leaves that have been beloved in Taiwan for generations. Hardy from zones 2-10 and thriving in full sun, this variety delivers both the novelty of an Asian heritage crop and the reliability of a cool-season green.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Consistent Moisture
Growth Stats
10 in
Height
TypeBush
Spacing
14
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
—
Zones
2-10
Size
10in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
The stalks and leaves of this variety are genuinely crispy and delicious, offering a texture and eating experience quite different from conventional lettuce. Originally called a 'choy' in Taiwan where it remains extremely popular, this is a crop that tells a story with every bite. The compact 5-10 inch stature means you can grow it densely in beds or containers without the sprawl of larger lettuces, and its 70-79 day maturity puts a full harvest within a single growing season.
Common Uses
Both the stalks and leaves are harvested and eaten fresh. The crispy texture makes them excellent sliced raw in salads, or the stalks can be cooked as a vegetable side dish. The compact size and productive nature of this variety mean home gardeners can harvest regularly throughout the cool season without overwhelming their kitchen.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before your last spring frost, sowing them at a light depth since lettuce seeds need light to germinate. Maintain soil temperature around 60-65°F for steady germination. Transplant seedlings outdoors once they develop their first true leaves and after hardening off.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost date when soil has warmed to at least 50°F. Space transplants 14 inches apart with 18 inches between rows. Handle seedlings gently as lettuce roots are delicate; plant at the same depth they were growing indoors.
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds outdoors in early spring as soon as soil can be worked, or in late summer for a fall crop. Scatter seeds thinly over prepared soil and press them gently into contact with the soil surface; do not bury them since lettuce seeds need light to germinate.
Harvesting
Harvest leaves and stalks when they reach full size, typically around 70-79 days after sowing. Pinch or cut outer leaves as needed for a continuous harvest, or wait and harvest the entire plant when mature. The stalks should be crisp and tender; if they begin to feel soft or the plant starts to bolt (sending up a central flower stem), harvest immediately.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Lactuca sativa var. asparagina
Family
Asteraceae
Genus
Lactuca
Growth Habit
Bush
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)VI (I)CAN (W)
History & Origin
“Pointed Taiwan Sword Celtuce originated in southern China and made its way to the United States in the 1800s, carrying with it centuries of cultivation wisdom. In Taiwan, where this variety thrives, it became known as a choy and remains deeply embedded in the region's vegetable culture. The fact that it traveled across oceans and continents, yet has maintained its popularity and crispy character, speaks to both its reliability as a crop and its genuine culinary appeal. This is a living link to 19th-century plant exploration and Asian agricultural traditions.”