Slow Bolt Arugula extends your peppery greens season with remarkable heat tolerance that keeps leaves tender when other arugulas turn bitter and bolt to seed. This vigorous annual produces serrated leaves with a sharp, spicy bite similar to horseradish, ready to harvest in just 40-49 days. Whether you're growing in zones 8-11 or battling warm summers elsewhere, this variety delivers the classic peppery punch that made ancient Romans consider it an aphrodisiac.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
8-11
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam
Preferred Temp45-75°F
Growth Stats
—
Height
—
Width
12 in
Spacing
40–49
Days to Harvest
PeriodAnnual
TypeForb/herb
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
8-11
Size
?in H x ?in W
Growth
Annual
Care
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
What sets Slow Bolt apart is its exceptional ability to maintain flavor and tenderness in warm weather when other arugula varieties become too bitter to eat. The leaves deliver that distinctive peppery punch that complements both mild butterhead lettuces and bitter chicories in mixed salads. With baby leaves ready in just 25 days and the ability to be grown as a cut-and-come-again crop, this variety offers continuous harvests throughout the season. Its vigorous, weed-like growth makes it nearly foolproof for gardeners, thriving in containers, gardens, or even as indoor microgreens year-round.
Common Uses
The sharp, pungent leaves excel in mixed salads where they add a peppery bite that cuts through bland greens and complements bitter chicories. Young serrated leaves at 2-3 inches long are perfect raw in salads and tomato dishes, while larger leaves can be steamed, cooked as a potherb, or pureed into soups. Even the creamy, peppery flowers make an excellent edible garnish, and harvested leaves can be frozen for later use like spinach.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
Early Spring
First Harvest
25-30 Days After Sowing
Last Harvest
Early Summer
Care Instructions
Direct Sow
Sow seeds as early in spring as soil can be worked, planting 1/4 inch deep in rows spaced 12 inches apart for optimal growth and air circulation.
Harvesting
Baby leaves can be harvested as early as 25 days, while larger leaves will be ready in 40-45 days. For the best flavor, harvest leaves when they're 2-3 inches long and serrated. You can either harvest the entire plant or cut individual leaves, allowing the plant to continue producing as a cut-and-come-again crop. The younger leaves provide the mildest flavor, while older leaves become more intensely peppery.
Growing Calendar
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Eruca vesicaria (L.) Cav. ssp. sativa (Mill.) Thell.
Family
Brassicaceae
Genus
Eruca
Duration
Annual
Growth Habit
Spreading
Native Status
L48 (I)CAN (I)
History & Origin
“Ancient Romans and Egyptians treasured arugula as an aphrodisiac, while the British cultivated it for centuries before it found its way to the earliest New England gardens. Today this heirloom open-pollinated variety carries forward that rich heritage, known worldwide by names like rocket and roquette. While popular with Italians, French, Spanish, Greeks, and Egyptians for generations, arugula is experiencing a renaissance in American gardens as more gardeners discover its bold flavor and reliable performance.”