Salad Green
Lamb's lettuce is a cool-season salad green with a storied past as a wild volunteer in European grain fields, where it earned its common name 'corn salad' for its ability to thrive among wheat and barley. This mild-flavored annual grows to 12-24 inches tall in hardiness zones 4-8, with a soft, tender texture and subtle nutty undertones that make it a delicious addition to fresh salads. Sow densely in late summer through fall or again in early spring for harvests of either individual leaves or entire rosettes, depending on how you want to enjoy it.
4-6 inches apart
Full Sun
Moderate
4-8
24in H x 24in W
Annual
High
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Lamb's lettuce thrives in full sun with minimal fussing, needing only moderate water and low maintenance once established. It can endure temperatures as low as 5°F, making it exceptionally hardy for a salad green; protect it with straw mulch if you're attempting winter cultivation in colder climates. The plant is remarkably pest and disease resistant, with no serious problems reported in cultivation, so you can focus on enjoying the harvest rather than managing problems.
Harvest lamb's lettuce as a tender salad green, either plucking individual leaves for a delicate salad or cutting the entire rosette when it reaches edible size. The mild, nutty flavor and soft texture make it excellent for fresh salads, and the leaves are tender enough to use raw without any cooking. Once the flower head begins to develop, harvest the entire plant before it becomes too coarse.
Sow seeds densely starting in late August through fall, or again in early spring. Press seeds 1/4 inch deep into the soil and water gently. Dense seeding creates a productive bed of tender leaves.
Harvest individual leaves as they reach edible size by pinching them off, or cut the entire rosette when it reaches full maturity. Once the flower head begins to develop, harvest the entire plant, as it will become too coarse and bitter for eating. For best quality, pick in the morning when leaves are crisp and full of moisture.
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“This green grew wild across European grain fields for centuries before gardeners recognized its culinary potential. It earned the nickname 'corn salad' because it appeared uninvited among wheat and corn crops, so common that European farmers sometimes considered it a nuisance pest. In Europe, the plant was domesticated not only for human consumption but also as a forage crop for sheep, which explains how it eventually gained the name 'lamb's lettuce.' What began as a field weed became a deliberate crop, valued for its resilience and mild flavor. The scientific name Valerianella locusta reflects its genus origin, and the plant eventually made its way into seed catalogs and home gardens where it remains today.”