Great Lettuce Varieties You’ll Want To Grow in 2024
Looking for a new lettuce crop to grow? Which lettuce varieties are a good fit for your farm? Scan the photo gallery for several fresh choices from leading seed breeders and distributors.
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Adicamp (SEEDWAY, LLC)
‘Adicamp’ is a romaine variety, suggested for spring seeding (going into warmer weather) and is multi-use for hearts, processing and cartons. The heads are heavy, nicely filled with a low core and wide base, and upright with straight ribs.
Disease package: HR: Bl (16,18-37) EU, (1-9) US, Nr (0), Pb, TBSV, IR: Ss
https://www.seedway.com/product/adicamp-lettuce-primed-pelleted/
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Arroyo (Enza Zaden, Stokes Seeds Inc.)
‘Arroyo’ is a tall upright romaine best suited for spring harvest in warmer southern areas and summer production for cooler areas. Tight internodes and v-shape make this best for romaine hearts. Matures in 65 days.
Disease package: HR: BI (1-8), Fol (4), TBSV, IR: Rs
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Bergam's Green (Enza Zaden, Rupp Seeds)
A non-heading, dark-green leaf lettuce variety.
https://www.ruppseeds.com/vegetables/products/lettuce/leaf/bergams-green
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Bluerock (Vilmorin Mikado, Gowan Seed Company)
A versatile full season romaine for carton, processing, and heart use. It’s a medium, dark-green color and has a low core. ‘Bluerock’ is adapted for all Eastern growing conditions to harvest from spring to fall. The upright growth and shape enables easy and efficient cut, trim, and packing. Matures in 65 days.
Disease package: HR: Bl (7-9), Nr, TBSV, T: TpB
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Cardinal (Melaku Mekonnen, Lettuce Breeder from Syngenta Vegetable Seeds)
Disease package: HR: Bl (5-9) US (30-32) EU, Nr (0), TBSV, IR: Fol (1), T: Bolting
‘Cardinal’ is a versatile romaine variety, which exhibits great bolting tolerance in warmer growing periods, and is vigorous to span into cooler periods. It has an attractive appearance and excellent shape, as well as a strong disease resistance package. It’s well suited for organic growing practices.
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Chalupa (Johnny's Selected Seeds)
‘Chalupa’ is a summer romaine that has thick leaves with more crunch and sweetness. A nice dark-green color, dense heads for hearts or whole head fresh market. A little shorter, but much faster growth (than full size romaine), with fantastic performance under heat stress. Matures in 45 days.
Disease package: TBSV
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Freckles (Seeds by Design)
A beautiful, tender romaine. The green leaves are splashed with red. Matures in 55 to 70 days.
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Kolibri (Johnny's Selected Seeds)
An extremely fast and gorgeous speckled little gem with fantastic bolt tolerance and consistency. ‘Kolibri’ pairs well with other ‘True Mini Gems’ to make a stunning trio or multi-pack for wholesale and CSA markets. Matures in 43 days.
T: Bolting
https://www.johnnyseeds.com/vegetables/lettuce/bibb-lettuce/kolibri-organic-lettuce-seed-4769G.html
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Little Gem (Terra Organics)
‘Little Gem’ has 5-inch heads, and bright green leaves with yellow hearts. A sweet and crunchy variety popular at fresh market. Matures in 45 to 70 days.
https://www.seedsbydesign.com/seed/Lettuce-Butterhead-Little-Gem
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Lolla Rossa Darkness (Seeds by Design)
‘Lolla Rossa Darkness’ is a curled looseleaf lettuce. It has attractive magenta leaves with a mild light-green base. A standout at fresh market. Matures in 45 to 75 days.
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Manzanita (Pinnacle Seed, Harris Seeds)
‘Manzanita’ is a red leaf variety with vibrant bronze-red leaves. They fade to green at the center and are smooth with a wavy edge and prominent rib. The upright tight heads have a short core. A reliable performer in high-temperature situations. Matures in 48 days.
Disease package: Bolting, TpB
https://www.harrisseeds.com/products/lettuce-manzanita-seed?variant=40030397366344
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New Red Fire (Takii & Company, Ltd.)
‘New Red Fire’ is a red leaf variety that has excellent uniformity. It’s dark red, with a medium-large head, and good flavor. Organic seeds are available. Matures in 55 to 60 days.
Disease package: Bolting, HT: Heat, MT: Cold
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Portola (Sakata Seed America)
Disease package: HR: TBSV, HT: LBVaV
‘Portola’ is a new iceberg variety that complements ‘Omega 42’ during September harvest. It has excellent size and weight for both box and bulk. It has excellent field holding abilities. Region: Salinas Valley, Desert.
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Powerball (Vegetables by Bayer, Seminis Vegetable Seeds)
‘Powerball’ give growers much needed disease protection in a reliable iceberg, crisp head type, and maintains uniformity to harvest (while retaining its appealing deep-green color). It has an average uniformity of maturities, sizes and heading habit. It features medium, smooth ribs, and large frame with good cover and short cores.
HR Bl (16-35) EU, (5-9) US. IR:, Fol (1) LMV (1), T: Bolting, TpB
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Skyphos RZ (Rijk Zwaan, Stokes Seeds Inc.)
‘Skyphos RZ’ is a tall upright romaine best suited for spring harvest in warmer southern areas, and summer production for cooler areas. Tight internodes and v-shape make this best for romaine hearts. Matures in 65 days.
Disease package: HR: BI (1-8), Fol (4), TBSV, IR: Rs
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Somerset (Enza Zaden, Gowan Seed Company)
Sure heading, slow-to-bolt and will develop uniform, firm medium-sized crisp heads in spring, summer, and fall. ‘Somerset’ has a higher head placement and a strong disease package. Matures in 62 days.
Disease package: HR: Bl (16-29 ,32, 34, 36 EU, 1-9 US), TBSV, IR: LMV (1), Rs
https://www.enzazaden.com/us/products-and-services/our-products/Lettuce/Somerset
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Sonora (Pinnacle Seed, Harris Seeds)
A large, dark-green romaine that is suitable for box or bulk production. ‘Sonora’s’ uniform heads weigh an average of 1.4 pounds with good internal color, a small core and a sweet crisp texture. The tidy upright plants average 12 inches tall. Matures in 60 days.
Disease package: HR: Fol, DM, TBSV, Nr, TpB, Bolting
https://www.harrisseeds.com/products/lettuce-sonora-seed?variant=40030397464648
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Stampede (Melaku Mekonnen, Lettuce Breeder for Syngenta Vegetable Seeds)
‘Stampede’ is a summer Salinas romaine variety with an upright plant habit. It has a nice shape, attractive bottom quality with smooth and straight ribs. It demonstrates great bolting tolerance for warmer growing periods. A multi-purpose romaine, well suited for carton, hearts and processing applications.
Disease package: HR: Bl (29-33, 35, 37, 38 EU) (5-9) US, TBSV, IR: Fol (1), INSV
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Vivian (Terra Organics)
‘Vivian’ is a tightly bunched romaine. The leaves average 12 to 16 inches long. Great for baby leaf production. Matures in 50 days.
https://www.seedsbydesign.com/seed/Lettuce-Romaine-Vivian-Terra-Organics
View all
Adicamp (SEEDWAY, LLC)
Arroyo (Enza Zaden, Stokes Seeds Inc.)
Bergam's Green (Enza Zaden, Rupp Seeds)
Bluerock (Vilmorin Mikado, Gowan Seed Company)
Cardinal (Melaku Mekonnen, Lettuce Breeder from Syngenta Vegetable Seeds)
Chalupa (Johnny's Selected Seeds)
Freckles (Seeds by Design)
Kolibri (Johnny's Selected Seeds)
Little Gem (Terra Organics)
Lolla Rossa Darkness (Seeds by Design)
Manzanita (Pinnacle Seed, Harris Seeds)
New Red Fire (Takii & Company, Ltd.)
Portola (Sakata Seed America)
Powerball (Vegetables by Bayer, Seminis Vegetable Seeds)
Skyphos RZ (Rijk Zwaan, Stokes Seeds Inc.)
Somerset (Enza Zaden, Gowan Seed Company)
Sonora (Pinnacle Seed, Harris Seeds)
Stampede (Melaku Mekonnen, Lettuce Breeder for Syngenta Vegetable Seeds)
Vivian (Terra Organics)
Disease Abbreviation Key
Bl — Downy mildew (Bremia lactucae)
Bolting — Bolting
DM — Downy mildew, water mold, (Bremia lactucae)
Fol — Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae)
HR — High resistance
HT — High tolerance
IR — Intermediate resistance
LMV — Lettuce mosaic
LNSV — Lettuce necrotic stunt virus
MT — Moderate tolerance
Nr — Lettuce Leaf Aphid (Nasonovia ribisnigri)
Pb — Lettuce root aphid (Pemphigus bursarius)
Rs — Corky root, caused by bacterium, (Rhizomonas suberifaciens)
T — Tolerance
TBSV — Tomato bushy stunt virus
TpB — Tipburn Physiological Disorder
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Carol Miller is Editor of American Vegetable Grower. See all author stories here.