Photo: "romaine" by liz west
· CC BY 2.0
Vegetable · Lettuce-head
Romaine Lettuce
Asteraceae
Upright, elongated heads with crisp texture. Best bolt resistance of all lettuces. Longest storage life (14-20 days refrigerated). 'Parris Island Cos' is the bolt-resistant standard. More heat-tolerant than butterhead. Can harvest outer leaves for some CCA use.
At a Glance
Days to Maturity
65–75 days
Sun
4+ hours
6 hours; afternoon shade in zones 7b+
Spacing
10–12 "
Container
Yes
2+ gallon pot
Height
0.7–1.2 ft
Zone Planting Guide
Growing Guide
Germination
Germination Time
4–10 days
Optimal Temp
58°F
Seed Depth
0.125"
Watering
Weekly Water
1–1.5 "
Needs
Moderate-consistent
Soil
pH Range
6–7
Resilience
Heat: Low
Cold: Medium
Drought: Low
Nutrition
Feeding Intensity
Light feeder
Harvest
Storage
20 days — Longest storage of any lettuce.
Sources
seed-catalog
Johnny's Seeds
university
UMN Extension
extension
Growing Lettuce in a Home Garden (University of Maryland Extension)
extension
Growing Lettuce & Other Greens (Oregon State University Extension, PDF)
extension
Cool Season Greens Production (Oklahoma State University Extension, PDF)
More Vegetables
Romaine Lettuce Planting Dates by Zone
Planting dates for Romaine Lettuce vary by USDA hardiness zone. Select your zone below for frost dates, start-indoors timing, and a full monthly planting calendar.
Ready to grow Romaine Lettuce?
Get a personalized planting schedule based on your exact zone with frost dates, task reminders, and feeding plans.
Start Your Garden Plan