Lactuca sativa

Lactuca sativa (alface) — a folha de salada mais popular do mundo, cultivada desde o Antigo Egito, das folhas crocantes cos às cabeças amanteigadas e às variedades de folha solta. O espaço botânico da nossa gama de alface.

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Lactuca sativa — lettuce

Lactuca sativa is the botanical name for lettuce, the most popular salad leaf in the world and a fast, easy annual in the daisy family (Asteraceae). It is the species behind our whole lettuce range within the leafy greens collection.

History & origin

Lettuce was first cultivated in ancient Egypt, grown more than 4,000 years ago — at first for the oil pressed from its seeds, and later for its leaves. The Egyptians considered it a sacred plant linked to the fertility god Min, and it appears in their tomb paintings. The Greeks and Romans took up lettuce enthusiastically as a salad and a supposed sleep aid, and from there it spread across Europe and, eventually, the world.

Its name points to the milky sap that seeps from a cut stem: Lactuca comes from the Latin lac, “milk,” while sativa means “cultivated.”

Botanical characteristics

Lettuce comes in a wonderful range of forms, all the same species: crisp hearting types like iceberg and cos (romaine), soft butterheads, and loose-leaf and oak-leaf varieties for cut-and-come-again picking. Leaves run from pale green to deep red and bronze, smooth to frilly. In summer heat or long days lettuce bolts, turning bitter as it runs to flower. Quick loose-leaf types are some of our most popular fast-growing vegetables, and lettuce pairs naturally with spinach and chicory in the salad bed.

Growing Lactuca sativa from seed

Sow little and often for a continuous supply, direct or in modules, keeping the soil cool and moist. Lettuce seed can be reluctant to germinate in heat, so sow during the cooler parts of the day in summer, and pick loose leaves regularly or harvest whole hearts as they firm. Our vegetable sowing calendar and watering guide help you keep it sweet and tender.

Ready to grow lettuce? Browse the varieties or learn the basics first.

Related categories: Lettuce · Leafy Greens · Spinach · Fast-Growing Veg · All Vegetables

At SeedsChoice, every order ships from Meppel, NL with fast, tracked EU delivery.

Perguntas Frequentes

O que é Lactuca sativa?
É o nome botânico da alface, uma anual de salada de crescimento rápido.

De onde é originária a alface?
Do antigo Egito, onde era cultivada há mais de 4 000 anos, inicialmente pelo seu óleo de semente.

O que significa o nome?
Lactuca vem do latim para “leite”, pela seiva leitosa, e sativa significa “cultivada.”

Por que razão a alface espiga?
O calor do verão e os dias longos fazem-na subir à semente e ficar amarga — semeie em condições mais frescas e mantenha o solo húmido.

Como obtenho um fornecimento contínuo?
Semeie pouco e com frequência, de duas em duas semanas, para colher continuamente.