Key Features
- Produces attractive purple to deep burgundy lettuce leaves.
- Heirloom, non-GMO seed choice for home vegetable gardens.
- Adds rich color and visual interest to salads and edible landscapes.
- Suitable for garden beds, raised beds, containers, and kitchen gardens.
- Performs best during cool growing seasons with fertile, well-drained soil.
Growing Benefits
- Adds vibrant purple color to the vegetable garden.
- Provides fresh leafy greens for salads, sandwiches, and wraps.
- Compact growth makes it practical for containers and smaller spaces.
- Easy to combine with green lettuce and other salad crops.
- A colorful choice for gardeners growing distinctive heirloom vegetables.
Seed Specifications
- Common Name: Purple Lettuce
- Botanical Name: Lactuca sativa
- Plant Type: Cool-season annual
- Leaf Color: Purple to deep burgundy
- Growth Habit: Leafy rosette
- Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil: Fertile, loose, well-drained soil
- Water: Regular and consistent
- Germination Time: Approximately 2–10 days under favorable conditions
- Sowing Depth: Approximately ⅛ inch
- Spacing: Approximately 6–12 inches, depending on variety and desired harvest size
- Growing Zones: Generally suited to USDA Zones 2–11 as a cool-season crop
- Maturity: Approximately 30–70 days, depending on variety and harvest stage
- Uses: Salads, sandwiches, wraps, fresh greens, containers, raised beds, and edible gardens
Growing Tips
- Sow seeds directly outdoors during cool weather.
- Scatter seeds over finely prepared soil and cover lightly.
- Keep soil evenly moist until seedlings emerge.
- Thin young plants to provide enough room for healthy leaf development.
- Make successive sowings every few weeks during suitable weather for continued harvests.
- Provide afternoon shade in warmer climates to help reduce heat stress.
Seed Storage
Store unused seeds in a cool, dry, dark location. Keep them sealed in their original packet or an airtight container away from moisture, heat, and direct sunlight.
Unique Facts About Seeds
- Purple lettuce belongs to the Asteraceae family, which includes sunflowers and daisies.
- Purple and burgundy lettuce leaves get their distinctive color from naturally occurring plant pigments.
- Lettuce is a cool-season crop that generally performs best in mild temperatures.
- Lettuce seeds are tiny and should be planted shallowly rather than deeply buried.