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Lactuca sativa

Lactuca sativafam. Asteraceae
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Lactuca sativa (Lactuca sativa) — botanical photograph
Pl. 8BD0 — Lactuca sativa
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I

Prezentare

Lactuca sativa, cunoscută sub numele de lățucă, este un anual sau biennal, forb/erbu origine din Irak. Această plantă se dezvoltă în soarele plin sau parțial și preferă sușteți, soluri legere (sânduie) sau medii. Crește până la 0,9 metri de înălțime și este durabilă în zonele 5-9. Cunoscut pentru frunze și semințe cu proprietăți culinare, lățucă a fost cultivată pentru sute de ani. Un caracter distinctiv al acestui plant este capacitatea sa de creștere într-o varietate de condiții, făcându-l adaptabil pentru gardeni din diferite climatice. O altă caracteristică notabilă este necesitatea de a distanța între plante de aproximativ 30 cm pentru a asigura creșterea și dezvoltarea adecvate.

Quick answers

What is Lactuca sativa?

Lactuca sativa, cunoscută sub numele de lățucă, este un anual sau biennal, forb/erbu origine din Irak. Această plantă se dezvoltă în soarele plin sau parțial și preferă sușteți, soluri legere (sânduie) sau medii. Crește până la 0,9 metri de înălțime și este durabilă în zonele 5-9.

What is Lactuca sativa used for?

Traditionally used for better sleep. Each claim is evidence-rated — see Section II for full citations.

Compare with:Chamomile→Achyranthes faureri→Blue Lettuce→all comparisons →
Best for
Top 1 evidence-ranked use of Lactuca sativa
Jump to full evidence →
Clinicaluses · safety · chemistry · dosagemedicinal profile
II

Beneficii și dovezi

1 claim · traditional-use context
Traditional-use context
These notes are presented as ethnobotanical context. No cited clinical references are catalogued for this plant yet.
  • Traditional use: garden lettuce leaf decoction — folk European for childhood sleep.

    Lactucin alkaloid

    ▲ LimitedBetter sleep →
IV·b

Mixology suggestions

1 draft
Editorial drafts. These pairings are AI-suggested from traditional herbal lore. Always verify with a qualified herbalist before brewing.
Evening Calm
sleep
tea
Traditional bedtime infusion.
Growingconditions · propagation · uses
V

Cultivare

Lactuca sativa se dezvolte în soarele plin sau parțial și necesită sușteți, soluri bine drenate care sunt legere (sânduie) sau medii. Este durabilă în regiuni temperatice cu zone 5-9. Distanța între plante de aproximativ 30 cm pentru a asigura cel mai bun creștere. Această plantă anuală sau biennală poate atinge o înălțime de 0,9 metri și produce frunze și semințe cu proprietăți culinare.
Light
Full sun, Partial sun/shade
Water
Moist
Soil
Light (sandy), Medium
Hardiness
5-9
Life cycle
Annual, Biennial
Habit
Forb/herb
Mature size
0.9 m tall
Spacing
30cm
For first-time growers

How to grow Lactuca sativa for the first time

7steps

Start with easy-to-grow Skip lettuce in your garden for a simple and rewarding beginner project.

  1. 1

    What you'll need

    Seeds, small pots or trays, soil, watering can.

  2. 2

    Best time to plant

    Plant seeds outdoors after the last frost, or start them indoors a few weeks earlier.

  3. 3

    Soil and container prep

    Use well-draining soil in containers at least 30cm deep. Ensure your garden bed is loose and free of weeds.

  4. 4

    Sowing or transplanting

    Sow seeds 1-2cm deep, spacing them about 30cm apart. Transplant seedlings when they have two true leaves.

  5. 5

    First two weeks

    Keep soil consistently moist and provide light shade if temperatures are high. Thin plants to the recommended spacing.

  6. 6

    Ongoing care

    Water regularly, especially during dry spells. Mulch around plants to retain moisture and suppress weeds.

  7. 7

    Harvest or pruning

    Pick outer leaves as needed when plants are about 15cm tall. Cut the entire head for a more mature harvest.

VI

Edible & utility

Edible parts:LeavesSeed
Edible uses: Oil
Other uses:HairoilPest control
Contextrange · companions · related
VII

Distribuție

1 native · 125 introduced
Distribution across5 continents· 1 native· 125 introduced
Europe19 regions
introduced (19)AustriaBulgariaCyprusFinlandFranceGermanyHungaryIrelandItalyNetherlandsPolandPortugalRomaniaRussiaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandUkraineUnited Kingdom
Asia15 regions
native (1)Iraq
introduced (14)BangladeshChinaIndiaKazakhstanMyanmarNepalOmanPakistanPhilippinesSouth KoreaTaiwanTurkeyUzbekistanVietnam
Americas18 regions
introduced (18)BelizeBoliviaColombiaCosta RicaCubaDominican RepublicEcuadorEl SalvadorGuatemalaHaitiHondurasJamaicaNicaraguaParaguayPeruPuerto RicoUnited StatesVenezuela
Africa7 regions
introduced (7)Burkina FasoCabo VerdeCameroonChadEgyptMauritaniaMauritius
Oceania1 region
introduced (1)Fiji
Broader regions
introduced:Alabama, Antipodean Is., Argentina Northeast, Baltic States, California, Cape Provinces, Caroline Is., Connecticut, Czechoslovakia, Delaware, District of Columbia, East Himalaya, Free State, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Jawa, Khabarovsk, Lebanon-Syria, Maine, Marianas, Marshall Is., Masachusettes, Massachusetts, Mexico Southeast, Michigan, Missouri, New Guinea, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Niue, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Panamá, Pennsylvania, Primorye, Réunion, Rhode I., Transcaucasus, Trinidad-Tobago, Tubuai Is., Turkey-in-Europe, Vermont, Wake I., Washington, West Virginia, Yugoslavia
VIII

Garden companions

24 pairs
Plant near these

These plants help — by repelling pests, fixing nitrogen, attracting pollinators, or sharing space well.

Daucus carota
Daucus carota
Ground cover
Lettuce shades shallow carrot soil while carrots occupy deeper root space.
Pot marigold
Calendula officinalis
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Hyssop
Hyssopus officinalis
Pest repellent
Lower-confidence guild pairing: aromatic foliage can confuse pests in dense polyculture beds when spacing and airflow are maintained.
Nasturtium
Tropaeolum majus
Trap crop
Lower-confidence guild pairing: trap crops can draw aphids or flea beetles away from the main crop when monitored and removed if overloaded.
White Clover
Trifolium repens
Living mulch
Lower-confidence guild pairing: low ground covers protect soil, reduce bare patches, and can be cut back if they compete.
Fagopyrum esculentum
Fagopyrum esculentum
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Borage
Borago officinalis
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Strawberry
Fragaria × ananassa
Ground cover
Lettuce and strawberries share cool, moist beds without strong competition.
Chives
Allium schoenoprasum
Pest repellent
Lower-confidence guild pairing: aromatic foliage can confuse pests in dense polyculture beds when spacing and airflow are maintained.
Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Garlic
Allium sativum
Pest repellent
Lower-confidence guild pairing: aromatic foliage can confuse pests in dense polyculture beds when spacing and airflow are maintained.
✶ AI suggested
Anise Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum
Pollinator-friendly
Lower-confidence guild pairing: insectary flowers support pollinators, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps around mixed vegetable beds.
Allium cepa
Allium cepa
Pest repellent
Onions help deter aphids and make efficient use of vertical space with lettuce.
Parsley
Petroselinum crispum
Pollinator-friendly
Radish
Raphanus sativus
Trap crop
Lower-confidence guild pairing: trap crops can draw aphids or flea beetles away from the main crop when monitored and removed if overloaded.
Cucumis sativus
Cucumis sativus
Shade provider
Cucumber vines can cast light shade over lettuce in warm weather.
Artemisia dracunculus
Artemisia dracunculus
Pest repellent
Lower-confidence guild pairing: aromatic foliage can confuse pests in dense polyculture beds when spacing and airflow are maintained.
Keep away from these

Avoid planting nearby — competition, allelopathy, or shared pests/diseases.

IX

Specimen gallery

1 image
Lactuca sativa (Lactuca sativa) — botanical photograph
Lactuca sativa (Lactuca sativa)
X

See also

8 related

Plants you might compare or use together — scored by shared family (Asteraceae), common use cases, and growing requirements.

XI

Explore further

Growing zone
Native to
XII

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