(updated 3/3/23)

General Information:

Zone 9B Florida: This is my documentary on the different varieties of lettuce that I am learning to grow in my garden in zone 9B of Florida. I learned there are four types of lettuces, but there are varieties for each type. The varieties fall into four types of lettuces; stem lettuce, bibb (butterhead) lettuce, loose leaf lettuce, and romaine lettuce. Most lettuce varieties are intended to be planted in the cooler season when the whether is cooler here in zone 9B of Florida. These varieties can not tolerate the hot summer heat to strive or grow well. Luckily, there are a few lettuce varieties that are labeled as heat tolerant, slow bolting, and can be possibly grown for all seasons.

Below is a listing of all the lettuce varieties I had tested, currently testing, and will test in my zone 9B garden in Florida.

Lettuce Varieties

• L1. Summer 38 Celtuce (stem lettuce) -heat tolerant
• L2. Spring Tower Celtuce (stem lettuce)
• L3. Purple Tour Celtuce (stem lettuce)
• L4. ShiXinWoSun Celtuce (stem lettuce)
• L5. AA Choy aka Sword Leaf Lettuce (loose leaf)
• L6. Bronze Mignonette Lettuce (bibb)
• L7. Marvel of Four Seasons (bibb)
• L8. Buttercrunch Butterhead lettuce (bibb)
• L9. Okayama Japanese butterhead lettuce (bibb)
• L10. Freckled Lettuce (bibb) – TBT
• L11. Prizehead Lettuce (loose leaf)
• L12. Red Velvet Lettuce (loose leaf)
• L13. Speckled Lettuce (loose leaf)
• L14. OutRedgeous Lettuce (loose leaf)
• L15. Jericho Israeli Lettuce (romaine) – heat tolerant
• L16. Parris Island Cos Lettuce (romaine)
• L17. Cimmaron Lettuce (romaine) – heat tolerant
• L18. Winter Density Lettuce (romaine)
• L19. Rouge D’Hiver Red Romaine Lettuce (romaine)
• L20. Little Gem Lettuce (romaine)

L1-L4. Celtuce varieties: Summer 38, Spring Tower, Purple Tower, and ShiXinWoSun

Celtuces are also known as Chinese asparagus, aparagus lettuce, stem lettuce, rau tiến vua (Vietnamese), yamakurage (Japanese). Leaves are tender for the first six weeks and then becomes mild as the plant focus on fattening up the stems. The fat celtuce lettuce stems are highly valued and sold in Asian markets as it can be used in stir fry. The stems are often peeled, shredded, dehydrated, and pickled for Japanese and Vietnamese celtuce salads to give a super crunchy taste. I have a separate documentary on “Growing Celtuces”. Link: TBD

L5. AA Choy (Swordleaf lettuce)

Sword Leaf lettuce is commonly known as Taiwanese AA Choy and it’s available at any Chinese or Southeast Asian markets. This is one of my favorite lettuce to eat with rice paper rolls (gỏi cuốn) and Vietnamese sizzling crepes (bánh xèo).

• Type: loose leaf / stem lettuce
• Source: Pan Asia Heirloom Etsy shop
• Day 1: Sow AA Choi lettuce seeds (Nov. 2022)
• Germination: high
• Soil: Potting Mix #3 recipe
• Light condition: full sun 6+Hours and part sun 4-6 hours
• Spacing: 6 inches
• Days to maturity: TBA
• Frost tolerant: yes
• Heat tolerant: TBA
• Root system: 5-6 inches deep and 5-inches wide
• Visual growth progress:

insert pictures

L6. Bronze Mignonette lettuce

• Type: bibb
• Source: tbt
• Date tested and germination result for Bronze Mignonette lettuce seeds: 1/8/23 – 75% germination result
• Soil: Potting Mix #2 recipe
• Light: Full sun 6+ hours and part 4-6 hours
• Watering: 3 times a week by sprinkler system
• Spacing: 6 inches apart
• Days to maturity: TBA
• Root system: 4 inches deep
• Frost tolerant: yes
• Heat tolerant: no
• Visual growth progress:

insert pictures

L7. Marvel of Four Seasons lettuce

• Type: bibb
• Source: https://www.botanicalinterests.com/product/Marvel-of-Four-Seasons-Butterhead-Lettuce-Seeds
• Day 1: Sow Marvel of Four Seasons lettuce seeds 2/7/23
• Germination rate: quick and high
• Soil: Potting Mix #2 recipe
• Light: morning shade, 4-6 hours sun
• Watering: 3 times a day by sprinkler system
• Spacing: TBA
• Days to maturity: TBA
• Root system: TBA
• Frost tolerant: yes
• Heat tolerant: yes
• Visual growth progress:

insert pictures

L8. Buttercrunch Butterhead lettuce – tbt

• Type: bibb
• Source: Tomorrow Seeds Etsy shop
• Day 1: (date seeds sown)
• Germination rate: tbt
• Light condition: full sun 6+ hours and part sun 4-6 hours
• Soil: Potting Mix #2 recipe
• Watering: 3 times a week with sprinkler system
• Spacing: 6 inches part
• Days to maturity: TBA
• Root system: 2-3 inches deep
• Frost tolerant: tbt
• Heat tolerant: tbt
• Visual growth progress:

insert pictures

L9. Okayama Japanese Butterhead lettuce

• Type: bibb
• Source: Pan Asia Heirloom Etsy shop
• Day 1: 2/11/23
• Germination rate: slow around day 10
• Light condition: full sun 6+ hours and part sun 4-6 hours
• Soil: Potting Mix #2 recipe
• Watering: 3 times a week with sprinkler system
• Spacing: 6 inches part
• Days to maturity: TBA
• Root system: 2-3 inches deep
• Frost tolerant: tbt
• Heat tolerant: tbt
• Visual growth progress:

insert pictures

L10. Freckled Lettuce – to be tested

• Type: bibb
• Day 1: (date Freckled lettuce seeds sown)
• Source: tbt
• Germination rate: tbt
• Light condition: full sun 6+ hours and part sun 4-6 hours
• Soil: Potting Mix #2 recipe
• Watering: 3 times a week with sprinkler system
• Spacing:
• Days to maturity: TBA
• Root system: 2-3 inches deep
• Frost tolerant: tbt
• Heat tolerant: tbt
• Visual growth progress:

insert pictures

L11. Prizehead lettuce

• Type: loose leaf
• Day 1: Sow Prizehead lettuce seeds
• Source: Lowe’s Home Improvement store
• Germination rate: fast and high within three days
• light condition: full sun 6+ hours and part sun 4-6 hours
• Soil: Potting Mix #2 recipe
• Watering: 3 times a week with sprinkler system
• Spacing: 5 inches part
• Days to maturity: TBA
• Root system: 2-3 inches deep
• Frost tolerant: yes
• Heat tolerant: TBA
• Visual growth progress:

insert pictures

L12. Red Velvet Lettuce: currently testing

• Type: loose leaf
• Day1: tested Red Velvet lettuce seeds 2/8/23
• Source: Pan Asia Heirloom Etsy shop
• Germination rate: quick and high
• Light condition: morning and evening shade, mid day sun, 4-5 hours sunlight
• Soil: Potting Mix #2 recipe
• Days to maturity: tba
• Root system:
• Frost tolerant: tba
• Heat tolerant: tba
• Visual growth progress:

L13. Speckled Lettuce: Currently testing

• Type: loose leaf
• Day 1: sow Speckled lettuce seeds 3/2/23
• Source: Pan Asia Heirloom Etsy shop
• Day #: germination rate TBA
• Soil: Potting Mix #2 recipe
• Light condition: morning shade, part sun (4-6 hours)
• Watering: 3 times a week by sprinkler system
• Days to maturity:
• Frost tolerant: TBA
• Heat tolerant: TBA
• Root system:
• Visual growth progress:

L14. OutRedGeous Lettuce – currently testing

• Type: loose leaf
• Day 1: sow OutRedGeous lettuce seeds 2/11/23
• Source: Pan Asia Heirloom Etsy shop
• Germination rate: very low and slow growth
• Soil: Potting Mix #2 recipe
• Light condition: morning shade, part sun (4-6 hours)
• Watering: 3 times a week by sprinkler system
• Days to maturity:
• Frost tolerant: TBA
• Heat tolerant: TBA
• Root system: tba
• Visual growth progress:

insert pictures

L15. Jericho Israeli Lettuce

• Type: romaine
• Day 1: Sow Jericho lettuce seeds 3/3/23
• Source: Pan Asia Heirloom Etsy shop
• Germination rate: tbt
• Soil: Potting Mix #2 recipe
• Light condition: morning shade, part sun (4-6 hours)
• Watering: 3 times a week by sprinkler system
• Days to maturity: tbt
• Frost tolerant: yes
• Heat tolerant: yes
• Root system: tba
• Visual growth progress:

insert pictures

L16. Parris Island Cos Lettuce

• Type: romaine
• Source: tbt
• Day 1: to be tested
• Germination rate: tbt
• Soil: Potting Mix #2 recipe
• Light condition: morning shade, part sun (4-6 hours)
• Watering: 3 times a week by sprinkler system
• Days to maturity: tbt
• Frost tolerant: tbt
• Heat tolerant: tbt
• Root system: tbt
• Visual growth progress:

insert pictures

L17. Cimmaron Lettuce

• Type: romaine
• Source: tbt
• Day 1: to be tested
• Germination rate: tbt
• Soil: Potting Mix #2 recipe
• Light condition: morning shade, part sun (4-6 hours)
• Watering: 3 times a week by sprinkler system
• Days to maturity: tbt
• Frost tolerant: tbt
• Heat tolerant: yes
• Root system: tbt
• Visual growth progress:

insert pictures

L18. Winter Density Lettuce

• Type: romaine
• Source: tbt
• Day 1: to be tested
• Germination rate: tbt
• Soil: Potting Mix #2 recipe
• Light condition: morning shade, part sun (4-6 hours)
• Watering: 3 times a week by sprinkler system
• Days to maturity: tbt
• Frost tolerant: tbt
• Heat tolerant: tbt
• Root system: tbt
• Visual growth progress:

insert pictures

L19. Rouge D’Hiver Red Romaine Lettuce

• Type: romaine
• Source: tbt
• Day 1: to be tested
• Germination rate: tbt
• Soil: Potting Mix #2 recipe
• Light condition: morning shade, part sun (4-6 hours)
• Watering: 3 times a week by sprinkler system
• Days to maturity: tbt
• Frost tolerant: tbt
• Heat tolerant: tbt
• Root system: tbt
• Visual growth progress:

insert pictures

L20. Little Gem Lettuce

• Type: romaine
• Source:
• Day 1: to be tested
• Germination rate: tbt
• Soil: Potting Mix #2 recipe
• Light condition: morning shade, part sun (4-6 hours)
• Watering: 3 times a week by sprinkler system
• Days to maturity: tbt
• Frost tolerant: tbt
• Heat tolerant: tbt
• Root system: tbt
• Visual growth progress:

insert pictures

L21. Beijing Express Hybrid Wawacai is actually a pak choi (bok choy) that looks like a romaine lettuce that can be substituted as a romaine lettuce for all seasons. I got curious and am testing this just to find out how it taste compared to romaine letut

• Type: pak choi/bok choy/ wanna-be-romaine
• Source: Pan Asia Heirloom Etsy shop
• Day 1: seed sown 3/2/23
• Germination rate: tbt
• Soil: Potting Mix #2 recipe
• Light condition: morning shade, part sun (4-6 hours)
• Watering: 3 times a week by sprinkler system
• Days to maturity: tbt
• Frost tolerant: tbt
• Heat tolerant: tbt
• Root system: tbt
• Visual growth progress:

insert pictures

How to Collect Lettuce Seeds

I just rather buy a new packet of seed instead, but if you planned on collecting lettuce seeds, here is a great video from Jeff at The Ripe Tomato Farms explaining how and when to collect lettuce seeds: https://youtu.be/Z3cRlmIWxB4.
Bolting is when it’s start producing a stem in the center for its final flowering and seeding stage of life. Harvest all the lettuce but leave one or two plant to complete its flowering stage if you want to collect the seeds.
(insert photo of emerging flower stem)

Where to Buy Lettuce Seeds?

• Pan Asia Heirloom Etsy shop – that’s where I purchased bulk seed packets to split up and sell in small portions for a lower price. It’s not my shop.
• Tomorrow Seeds Etsy shop
• Kitazawa Seed Company