Lettuce

A temperate plant. Plants are grown throughout the country of Papua New Guinea but particularly in the highlands and mainly for sale. It grows best between 700-2,350 m above sea level in PNG. Leafy forms are used in cooking in many parts of Asia. It suits hardiness zones 6-11.
Also known as:
Alface, Alfase, Chisa, Daun salad, Lechuga, Lekuke, Letesi, Letisi, Letsugas, Marul, Salad-pata, Salad, Saladi, Sangchu, Selada, Shang ts'oi, Sheng Cai, Sung chi, Sung choi, Vrtna solata, Woh sun
Synonyms
- Lactuca capitata (L.) DC.
- Lactuca crispa (L.) Roth
- Lactuca palmata Willd.
- Lactuca sativa subsp. asparagina
- Lactuca sativa subsp. capitata (L.) Chubl. & G. Martens
- Lactuca scariola var. sativa C.B. Clarke
Edible Portion
- Leaves, Seeds, Vegetable
Where does Lettuce grow?
Found in: Africa, Albania, Amazon, Angola, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Benin, Botswana, Bougainville, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Caucasus, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Egypt, Equatorial-Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Europe, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, India, Indochina, Italy, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Marquesas, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mediterranean, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, New Caledonia, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, North America, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Rotuma, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Scandinavia, SE Asia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Sudan, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tasmania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, Uruguay, United States, Vanuatu, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Notes: It is rich in minerals like sodium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and vitamins. There are about 20 Lactuca species.
Status: It has social significance to affluent people in Papua New Guinea. It is mostly grown for sale in highland areas of Papua New Guinea. It is the most important salad vegetable in European countries.
Growing Lettuce
Cultivation: Plants are grown from seeds and often transplanted. Seedlings are transplanted after 30-35 days and spaced 45 cm apart. Seeds need to be sown very shallowly. In hot places lettuce develops a bitter taste if transplanted or checked in their growth. Cutting the tap root can stop plants seeding quickly.
Edible Uses: Eaten raw or in soups. The sprouted seeds can be used in salads or sandwiches. Leaves can be dried and stored. The leaves are used for sarma in Turkey. They are rolled around a filling of rice or minced meat.
Production: Leafy varieties are harvested after 50-60 days.
Nutrition Info
per 100g edible portionEdible Part | Energy (kcal) | Protein (g) | Iron (mg) | Vitamin A (ug) | Vitamin c (mg) | Zinc (mg) | % Water |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Leaves | 20 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 180 | 15 | 0.2 | 94 |
Lettuce Photos
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