Lettuce Tropical Seeds

Lactuca sativa

Tropical is a heat-tolerant Crisphead Lettuce developed for producing firm, rounded heads in conditions where many traditional Iceberg varieties struggle. Plants form attractive pale green heads with crisp, succulent leaves and a refreshing mild flavour.

Its standout feature is its ability to cope with warmer growing conditions. Tropical shows excellent heat tolerance along with resistance to premature bolting and tip burn, making it particularly useful for warm-climate gardeners and for extending lettuce production beyond the traditional cool season.

The crisp leaves are excellent shredded into salads, sandwiches, burgers and wraps or used whole as crunchy lettuce cups. Harvest once the rounded heads are firm and well developed.

Lettuce is one of the world’s oldest cultivated salad vegetables, grown for thousands of years and spreading through the ancient Mediterranean world. Today its enormous diversity includes looseleaf, cos, butterhead and crisphead forms adapted to a wide range of climates and seasons.

Although Tropical handles heat considerably better than many lettuces, it still benefits from fertile, well-drained soil, consistent moisture and some afternoon shade during periods of extreme heat. Avoid allowing plants to dry out while heads are developing.

Seed count: approximately 600–1,000 seeds/g
Approximately 60 seeds per packet

When to Plant (Australia)

Tropics: Autumn to spring; suitable for an extended warm-season harvest
Subtropics: Most of the year
Mild climates: Spring to autumn
Cold climates: Spring to early autumn

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. During hot weather, germination may be improved by sowing in a cooler, shaded position before transplanting.

Space plants approximately 25–30 cm apart to allow the rounded heads to develop fully. Grow in full sun during milder weather, with some afternoon shade beneficial in hotter conditions.

Keep soil consistently moist throughout growth, particularly while heads are forming. Regular, even watering helps produce succulent leaves and reduces the risk of stress and tip burn.

Harvest once heads are rounded, firm and well developed, cutting cleanly at the base.

Due to quarantine restrictions, TAS has an 800g limit per each seed variety and WA has a 10,000 seeds limit per variety.