Green Deer Tongue

Family: Asteraceae Leafy Green

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Green Deer Tongue to a garden.

Tender, cool-sweet leaves unfurl with a deer-tongue grace—crisp, juicy, and richly green from the first harvest.

Green Deer Tongue forms an airy loose-leaf rosette with a gently ruffled edge and a delicate, buttery crunch that stays pleasantly crisp in the garden. Ideal for fresh salads and vibrant spring bowls, it also shines as a leafy base for quick tosses and herb-forward mixes.

Light: Part SunMaturity: 45 DaysHabit: Rosette

Botanical illustration of Green Deer Tongue

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Green Deer Tongue Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	May 11th	Jun 1st	Jul 16th – Aug 1st
Zone 2a	May 4th	May 25th	Jul 9th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Apr 24th	May 15th	Jun 29th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Apr 24th	May 15th	Jun 29th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Apr 28th	May 19th	Jul 3rd – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Apr 24th	May 15th	Jun 29th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Apr 22nd	May 13th	Jun 27th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Apr 17th	May 8th	Jun 22nd – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Apr 13th	May 4th	Jun 18th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Apr 10th	May 1st	Jun 15th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Apr 4th	Apr 25th	Jun 9th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Mar 30th	Apr 20th	Jun 4th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Mar 20th	Apr 10th	May 25th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Mar 11th	Apr 1st	May 16th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Mar 2nd	Mar 23rd	May 7th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Feb 13th	Mar 6th	Apr 20th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Jan 19th	Feb 9th	Mar 26th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 15th – Feb 28th
Zone 10b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 15th – Feb 28th
Zone 11a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 15th – Feb 28th
Zone 11b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 15th – Feb 28th
Zone 12a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 15th – Feb 28th
Zone 12b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 15th – Feb 28th
Zone 13a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 15th – Feb 28th
Zone 13b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 15th – Feb 28th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	45
Sun Requirements	Part Sun
Growth Habit	Rosette
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	70
Min Soil Temp (°F)	40
Min Night Temp (°F)	35
Harden Off (days)	5

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Green Deer Tongue’s tender, juicy leaves are built for eating cold and fast—the crunch holds up when dressed lightly and served right away. Use it as the leafy engine for bright acids (lemon, vinegar) and briny cheese; skip aggressive heat that turns loose-leaf lettuce soft and watery.

Best Uses

spring salads where the leaves can stay crisp (no heavy, hot dressing)
loose-leaf bowls under a lemony vinaigrette
quick tosses with warm-but-not-steaming components to avoid wilting
tear-and-stack sandwiches where it adds snap and moisture

Flavor Profile

cool-sweet, grassy freshness delicate buttery crunch juicy, lightly nutty leafiness gentle bitterness at the finish

Kitchen Pairings

lemon vinaigrette feta radishes cherry tomatoes grilled chicken olive oil

Frequently Asked Questions

What pest or disease most commonly affects Lactuca sativa (green deer tongue), and how can I manage it?

Lettuce commonly gets downy mildew (often showing pale yellow patches on leaves with a gray-purple growth on the underside). Improve airflow and avoid wetting the foliage, then remove badly infected leaves to slow spread. If you see early symptoms, treat plants promptly with a labeled downy-mildew fungicide and keep spacing so the plant canopy dries quickly after watering.

How often should I water Lactuca sativa during the main growing phase?

Keep the soil evenly moist from first true leaves until harvest—lettuce roots stay shallow, so let the top ~1/2 inch dry slightly but don’t allow the bed to fully dry out. In warm weather, this usually means watering about every 2–3 days, increasing frequency if the surface dries faster. Consistent moisture prevents bitter flavor and helps reduce bolting risk.

How do I know when green deer tongue lettuce is ready to harvest?

Harvest when the heads/rosettes are well-formed and leaves feel tender rather than tough, typically around 45 days from sowing. Check for a full-size rosette and leaf color appropriate for the variety; if leaves are still small, wait a few days. For best texture, harvest in the cool of morning and pick before the plant shows tall center growth (early bolting).