Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce
Best resilient lettuce for gardeners seeking reliable, year-round harvests.
Cultivate your own fresh greens with Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce seeds. This highly adaptable, open-pollinated variety is perfect for continuous harvests, yielding both tender baby leaves for salads and crisp full heads. Its vibrant, savoyed leaves are excellent for holding dressings. Known for its resilience, this organic and non-GMO lettuce thrives in cool, well-drained soil and tolerates heat, drought, and light frost, making it a reliable choice for spring, summer, and fall plantings. Enjoy a bountiful and versatile lettuce crop from your garden.
$3.90
Owner Satisfaction
4.8
/ 5
Category Rank
2
/ 5592
#2 in Seeds & Seed Tape
Price vs Category Average
-63%
Below average
Botanical Name
Lactuca sativa
/ Lactuca sativa
Who it's for
- Impatient gardeners wanting a quick harvest
- Succession planters looking for fast, consistent crop cycles
- Home cooks seeking a continuous supply of fresh greens
- Beginner gardeners needing a reliable, easy-to-grow variety
- Small-space growers maximizing yield from individual plants
- Organic gardeners growing in unpredictable spring climates
Who should skip it
- Salad lovers who prefer a firm, crunchy texture
- Bulk harvesters requiring long-lasting refrigerator shelf life
- Urban gardeners struggling with heavy slug or aphid pressure
- Busy meal preppers needing greens that store for days
- Gardeners without the time for active pest management
- Foodies seeking bold, complex, or bitter flavor profiles
Performance breakdown
Harvest Versatility
Seamlessly transitions from tender baby greens to crisp full heads.
Environmental Resilience
Reliably withstands heat, drought, and light frost across multiple seasons.
Growth Speed
Rapid maturity allows for quick turnarounds in your home garden.
Disease Resistance
Intermediate protection against common blights ensures a more consistent yield.
Culinary Utility
Savoyed leaf texture excels at gripping dressings for better salads.
Planting Adaptability
Highly flexible variety thrives in diverse soil and climate conditions.
Key Specs
Botanical Name
Lactuca sativa
Maturity
28 days (baby) - 45 days (full size)
Planting Depth
1/8 inch (0.3175 cm)
Soil pH Requirement
6.2-6.8
Disease Resistance
Intermediate Resistance to Downy Mildew, Tip Burn, Lettuce Drop
Row Spacing
0.75 inches (1.905 cm)
Plant Spacing
8 inches (20.32 cm)
Sunlight Exposure
Full Sun
Features
- Highly adaptable for continuous planting
- Savoyed leaves hold dressing well
- Tolerant of heat and drought
- Fast growing for quick harvest
- Open-Pollinated, Non-GMO, and Organic
- Versatile for baby leaf or full head
- Intermediate disease resistance
What customers say
This lettuce earns high praise for its exceptional reliability and ease of cultivation. Gardeners consistently report outstanding germination success, confirming the quality of these organic seeds. The primary appeal is its vigorous growth, making it a perfect cut-and-come-again variety for continuous harvests. Flavor is a major highlight; the loose leaves are wonderfully crisp, tender, and mild, avoiding common bitterness. It develops quickly, suiting succession planting and containers well. While it eventually bolts in peak summer heat, its performance during cooler seasons is unmatched. This dependable, fast growing, and delicious lettuce is considered a staple for home salad greens.
Know before you buy
You can begin harvesting baby leaves in as little as 28 days. For full-sized heads, expect to wait about 45 days.
Yes, this variety is noted for its heat and drought tolerance. While it thrives in cool weather, it is reliable enough to plant throughout the spring, summer, and fall.
Absolutely. Because it can be harvested as baby leaves or full heads, it is very adaptable to containers. Just ensure your pots have good drainage and receive full sun.
Black Seeded Simpson provides intermediate resistance to common lettuce issues, including downy mildew, tip burn, and lettuce drop, making it a dependable choice for home gardens.
Plant the seeds at a shallow depth of 1/8 inch. Lettuce seeds require a bit of light to germinate effectively, so avoid burying them too deeply.
Yes, these are certified organic, non-GMO, and open-pollinated seeds, ensuring they meet high standards for quality and sustainability.
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