Habit (mature) - DeFacto / Wikimedia Commons - CC BY-SA 4.0
Limited coverage
Garden lettuce
Lactuca sativa
A cool-season leafy green eaten raw or lightly cooked — among the most fundamental garden vegetables. Bolts (sends up flower stalks) + turns bitter in heat above 70°F per NC State; cool-spring + cool-fall windows are the productive growing periods in most North American climates. Four habit groups: head (iceberg, crisphead), loose-leaf, romaine (cos), and butterhead (Bibb, Boston).
Edible
Container
Light
Full sun / Part shade
Water
Consistent moisture
Mature size
6-12" tall · 8" apart
Hardy in zones
Annual; NC State profile lists 2a-11b context
AHS heat range
1-6
Plant range authored in AHS heat-zone terms.
Native in Illinois
No
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NC State: "Leaves can be used raw or cooked in salads, sandwiches, and other dishes." Four cultivar groups: head (iceberg, crisphead), loose-leaf, romaine (cos), and butterhead (Bibb, Boston).
Cold hardiness
Future
This plant is grown as an annual; hardiness zones don't apply.
Heat tolerance
Future
Heat tolerance values are location-based too: heat days today are observed at this site, and the 2050 value projects this same location under a future climate.
Loading AHS heat-zone data for this location...
Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Garden lettuce (Lactuca sativa). Retrieved 2026, June 14, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/lactuca-sativa
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited - 18 source-backed.
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
University extension service
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
Success tips
Designer notes