Lactuca sativa
Origin: Taiwan via Vashon Island
Improvement status: Landrace
Seeds per packet: ~200
Germination tested 11/2023: 81%
Life cycle: Annual
Also called "sword lettuce," this unique lettuce from Taiwan is used in Taiwanese and Chinese cuisine. Traditionally stir-fried with garlic, it maintains its structure and texture when cooked. Can also be used raw, such as with a sesame paste and garlic dressing. Harvest the whole head when leaves are about 18” long and the head looks full. Both the stem and leaves are eaten.
EFN co-founder Dusty Hinz gave 'A Choy' a try sautéed with garlic and olive oil and says it is amazing! A must try! Special thanks to the kind folks at Tian Tian Farm who gave us a nice tour and a head of this lettuce when Nate and Dusty were on Vashon Island in July 2023.
This seed was grown by Elizabeth and Steven, of Tian Tian Farm, a small CSA vegetable farm specializing in Asian vegetables on Vashon Island, Washington.
GROWING TIPS: Start in early spring after last frost to transplant in April. Succession plant for continual spring and summer harvests. 50-60 days to maturity. Somewhat cold hardy.
