NEW RED FIRE
Best heat-tolerant lettuce for gardeners seeking sweet harvests all season long.
Discover 'New Red Fire,' a highly-regarded loose-leaf lettuce celebrated for its vibrant, ruby-red color and exceptional performance, even in summer heat. This variety produces an impressive, crisp, and sweet head that boasts proven bolt resistance. It thrives in both cool and warm conditions without turning bitter, making it a fantastic choice for continuous harvest from spring through autumn. Customers appreciate its reliability as a summer lettuce that maintains its sweet flavor when temperatures rise. It is available in standard, organic, and pelleted seed formats for easy sowing.
$16.95
Owner Satisfaction
4.7
/ 5
Category Rank
270
/ 5888
#270 in Seeds & Seed Tape
Price vs Category Average
+60%
Above average
Maturity
55
/ days
Who it's for
- Gardeners in warmer climates seeking summer-long harvests
- Home cooks wanting visually stunning salad ingredients
- Small-space growers needing a continuous supply of fresh greens
Who should skip it
- Busy gardeners unable to monitor for frequent pest damage
- Shady-yard owners wanting the signature deep red color
- Meal preppers needing greens that store for several days
Performance breakdown
Heat Tolerance
Maintains sweet flavor and crisp texture even during peak summer heat.
Bolt Resistance
Stays productive and harvestable long after other varieties begin to flower.
Flavor Profile
Delivers a consistently crisp, sweet taste without the typical bitter finish.
Sowing Versatility
Multiple seed formats make planting simple for both beginners and pros.
Harvest Window
Ideal for succession planting from early spring through late autumn.
Germination Reliability
High-quality seeds ensure consistent growth across a wide temperature range.
Key Specs
Maturity
55 days
Soil Temp for Germination
40–80°F
Seed Depth
⅛"
Thin Plants to
10–16"
Minimum Germination
80%
Seeds per Gram
≈ 800
Seed Life
3 years
Scientific Name
Lactuca sativa
Features
- Most ruby-red loose-leaf variety
- Impressive loose leaf head structure
- Crisp and sweet flavor profile
- Proven resistance to bolting
- Grows well in cool and warm weather
- Stays sweet even when hot
- Fantastic for succession planting
- Available in pelleted format
What customers say
Customers consistently praise the 'NEW RED FIRE' lettuce for its exceptional quality and outstanding flavor. The deep burgundy color provides significant aesthetic appeal in salads and gardens. Germination is highly reliable, resulting in robust growth even in challenging conditions. Gardeners value its rapid cycle, perfect for succession planting. The flavor is a major highlight, described as crisp, tender, and notably free of bitterness, maintaining excellent texture as it matures. Its cut and come again nature offers continuous harvesting, proving highly efficient for smaller spaces. Overall, this variety is considered a high performing staple, reliably delivering superior color and taste.
Know before you buy
Yes, this variety is specifically bred for heat tolerance. Unlike many other lettuces that bolt or develop a harsh, bitter flavor when temperatures climb, New Red Fire maintains its crisp, sweet profile throughout the summer.
Standard seeds are raw and natural, while pelleted seeds are coated in an inert, clay-based material to make them larger and uniform in shape. Pelleted seeds are much easier to handle and space out accurately, which is particularly helpful for direct sowing in the garden.
Because New Red Fire is excellent for succession planting, you can sow a new batch of seeds every two to three weeks from spring through early autumn. This ensures you have a steady supply of fresh, mature leaves rather than a single harvest that all matures at once.
Absolutely. New Red Fire performs well in both containers and raised beds, provided they have adequate drainage and receive sufficient sunlight. Just ensure you thin the plants to 10–16 inches apart to give them enough room to develop their full, loose-leaf structure.
You can expect to harvest mature heads approximately 55 days after sowing. However, because it is a loose-leaf variety, you can also begin harvesting individual outer leaves earlier as the plant grows.
These seeds germinate best in soil temperatures between 40°F and 80°F. Plant them at a shallow depth of 1/8 inch to ensure they receive the light exposure necessary for successful germination.
Still have a question?
Ask Hayley anything about this product before you decide.
Ready to buy?
$17