Back in the day, gardeners had a huge variety to choose from, but today we’re down to about 30 main types of butterhead lettuce in cultivation. Even so, there’s plenty of variety to keep your garden interesting! You’ve probably noticed the differences yourself—some heads are tight and pale green, while others boast deep emerald leaves or even beautiful reddish hues. In this post, I’ll walk you through the most popular varieties and what makes each one unique.
Breaking it down: Early, Mid-Season, and Late Varieties
Most of us think of lettuce as the ultimate spring veggie. If you get your seeds in the ground early, you’ll be tossing fresh salads by springtime. You can even get a head start by using a greenhouse or starting seeds indoors. But here’s a pro tip: you don’t have to stop in May! There are mid-season and even “winter” varieties that let you harvest well into November and beyond.
Generally, we categorize these varieties by when they go in the ground and when they’re ready for the dinner table. Early types get started as soon as February, while the late-season hardy types are built for the autumn chill.
Early Season Varieties
- ‘Dynamite’: Plant outdoors Feb–July / Harvest April–Oct
- ‘Maikönig’ (May King): Plant outdoors Feb–April / Harvest starting in May
- ‘Muck’: Plant outdoors Jan–April / Harvest April–May and Aug–Sept
- ‘Veronique’: Plant outdoors Feb–Aug / Harvest once the head feels firm
Mid-Season Varieties
- ‘Attractie’: Plant outdoors March–July / Harvest May–Sept
- ‘Maiwunder’ (May Miracle): Plant outdoors Aug–Sept / Harvest once the head feels firm
- ‘Mona’: Plant outdoors April–July / Harvest May–Sept
- ‘Wunder von Stuttgart’: Plant outdoors June–Aug / Harvest Sept–Nov
Late Season & Winter Varieties
- ‘Brighton’: Plant outdoors Sept–Jan / Harvest Dec–April
- ‘Larissa’: Plant outdoors Aug–Feb / Harvest starting in Dec
- ‘Winter Butterkopf’: Plant outdoors July–Aug / Harvest Feb–March
While many early and late varieties are surprisingly cold-hardy, I always recommend giving your late-season crops a little extra love. Using a cold frame, a greenhouse, or even just some garden fleece/plastic sheeting can make a huge difference in keeping them happy through the frost!