Lactuca sativa 'Lollo Rossa'

RHS Plant Profile
lettuce (leafy) 'Lollo Rossa'
Herbs - Culinary

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

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1 year
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Neutral or Alkaline or Acid

Position

Full sun
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H2

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Asteraceae
Native to GB/Ireland
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 or biodegradable 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

May be susceptible to lettuce root aphid, slugs and snails

Diseases

May be susceptible to grey moulds and lettuce downy mildew