Lettuce Celtuce Narrow Leaved Seeds
$3.90
Unit price perLactuca sativa var. angustana
Celtuce is an unusual form of Lettuce grown as much for its thick, succulent stem as for its leaves. Also known as Asparagus Lettuce, Stem Lettuce and Chinese Lettuce, it produces narrow green leaves around a substantial upright stem that can reach approximately 30 cm before harvest.
Young leaves and hearts can be eaten much like conventional lettuce, with a fresh, mildly bitter flavour. The real speciality, however, is the thickened stem. Once mature, the tougher outer skin is peeled away to reveal crisp, pale flesh with a delicate flavour somewhere between lettuce, celery and cucumber.
Celtuce has a long history in Chinese cuisine, where the stem is known as wosun. It can be eaten raw in salads, pickled, stir-fried, steamed or added to soups. The crisp texture holds particularly well during cooking, making it quite different from ordinary leafy lettuce.
Lettuce is one of the world’s oldest cultivated salad vegetables, grown for thousands of years and spreading through the ancient Mediterranean world. Celtuce represents a fascinating branch of that domestication, selected specifically for an enlarged edible stem rather than a compact head of leaves.
Like other lettuces, Celtuce prefers fertile, well-drained soil with a near-neutral pH and consistent moisture. It performs particularly well through mild conditions and should be grown steadily to encourage tender stems.
Seed count: approximately 600–1,000 seeds/g
Approximately 200 seeds per packet
When to Plant (Australia)
Tropics: Autumn to winter
Subtropics: Autumn to spring
Mild climates: Autumn and spring
Cold climates: Spring to early summer
Planting / Sowing
Sow shallowly, approximately 3–5 mm deep, directly into prepared soil or raise in trays for transplanting. Lettuce seed needs only a light covering and germinates best in cool to mild conditions.
Space plants approximately 20–30 cm apart in full sun during cool weather, with some afternoon shade beneficial as temperatures increase. Keep soil consistently moist to encourage rapid, tender growth.
Harvest young leaves as required without removing too many from the developing plant. For the characteristic edible stem, allow plants to reach approximately 30 cm tall before harvesting. Remove the leaves and peel away the tough outer layer of the stem before slicing.
Due to quarantine restrictions, TAS has an 800g limit per each seed variety and WA has a 10,000 seeds limit per variety.
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Flower seeds: As fellow gardening enthusiasts we share the love for planting and nurturing our own flowers in addition to our veggie gardens. Our carefully selected range of flower seeds, available for convenient online purchase, holds a special place in our hearts. Like the endangered vegetables we've championed, these flower varieties face the risk of vanishing forever. Some of these older strains are incredibly rare, and it's a source of immense pride for us to offer and deliver these precious flower seeds Australia-wide.

