Description

The cultivation of lettuce can be traced back as far as 4500 B.C. at which time it was mostly grown for the oil of its seeds. It has been well established that the Persians consumed lettuce leaves around the year 600 B.C..

The word "lettuce" comes from the Latin latuca which is derived from lactus, meaning "milk"; it was so named for the milky sap secreted by the stems when they are cut. Lettuce is an annual plant that comes in about 100 varieties. The crisp, tender leaves are usually green but may also be red; they vary in shape and flavor, depending on the variety. The most common varieties sold today are head lettuce, butterhead lettuce, leaf lettuce, romaine (also known as cos) lettuce, and celtuce.