Celtuce / Stem lettuce

Plant family

Daisy family (Asteraceae)

Also known as

Celery Lettuce, Asparagus Lettuce, Chinese Lettuce

Season Overview

Details

Light requirement

Sunny

Water requirement

Moist

Soil

Medium (loamy)

Nutrient requirement

Medium

Plant distance

25 cm

Row spacing

25 cm

Seeding depth

1 cm

Instructions

Description

Asparagus lettuce (English celtuce), Chinese lettuce or Chinese pole lettuce is a high-yielding vegetable specialty originating from East Asia with thickened, club-shaped stems up to 1 m long. It grows like and is bred from head lettuce or pluck lettuce, making it a member of the composite family (Asteraceae). However, asparagus lettuce is allowed to shoot and then the thick stems are harvested (but the leaves can also be eaten until the lettuce begins to shoot). These are juicy and meaty and have a slight kohlrabi flavor and can be eaten raw or boiled/steamed/fried. Use without leaves and peel. Excellent stir-fry vegetables.

Growing tips

If grown in advance, the plants can be planted outdoors with 2-4 true leaves. Asparagus lettuce can be harvested as picking lettuce as it grows. You can harvest the lettuce until shortly before flowering and then eat the fleshy shoots as well. It only takes about two weeks from sowing to the first harvest.