Lactuca sativa 'Lollo Rossa'
lettuce (leafy) 'Lollo Rossa'
An attractive red lettuce, a leafy biennial usually grown as an annual. It produces a lose head of dark red crinkled frilly leaves, from spring to autumn according to sowing date. The outer leaves can be harvested as a cut-and-come-again lettuce keeping the heart intact to produce more, or it can be left to mature and harvested as a whole lettuce, great for adding colour to your salad bowl
Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metresTime to ultimate height
1 yearUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Neutral, Alkaline, AcidColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Red | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Red | |||
| Autumn | Red | |||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H2Botanical details
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Genus
Lactuca can be annuals, biennials, perennials or shrubs, with alternate leaves, milky white sap and daisy-like flowers in white, yellow or blue. The genus includes a wide range of wild plants, as well as species cultivated for their edible leaves (lettuce)
- Name status
Accepted
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in full sun on moisture-retentive soil. Use cloches, plastic tunnels or horticultural fleece to protect early and late crops. See Lettuce (Grow your own)
Propagation
Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Patio and container plants
Pruning
No pruning required
Pests
Diseases
May be susceptible to grey moulds and lettuce downy mildew
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.