Oakleaf

Family: Asteraceae Leafy Green

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Oakleaf to a garden.

Tender leaves unfurl like ruffled lace, with a crisp snap and a sweet, green-forward flavor that feels cool and clean from the first harvest.

Oakleaf forms loose rosettes of oak-shaped foliage—deeply lobed, richly textured, and wonderfully steady in the garden—ideal for fresh, vibrant salads and quick tosses, as well as blending into leafy mixes and silky sauces.

Light: Part SunMaturity: 50 DaysHabit: Rosette

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Oakleaf 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 4th	Jun 1st	Jul 21st – Aug 1st
Zone 2a	Apr 27th	May 25th	Jul 14th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Apr 17th	May 15th	Jul 4th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Apr 17th	May 15th	Jul 4th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Apr 21st	May 19th	Jul 8th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Apr 17th	May 15th	Jul 4th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Apr 15th	May 13th	Jul 2nd – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Apr 10th	May 8th	Jun 27th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Apr 6th	May 4th	Jun 23rd – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Apr 3rd	May 1st	Jun 20th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Mar 28th	Apr 25th	Jun 14th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Mar 23rd	Apr 20th	Jun 9th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Mar 13th	Apr 10th	May 30th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Mar 4th	Apr 1st	May 21st – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Feb 23rd	Mar 23rd	May 12th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Feb 6th	Mar 6th	Apr 25th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Jan 12th	Feb 9th	Mar 31st – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 10b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 11a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 11b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 12a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 12b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 13a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 13b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	50
Sun Requirements	Part Sun
Growth Habit	Rosette
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Surface
Germination Temp (°F)	40
Min Soil Temp (°F)	40
Min Night Temp (°F)	35
Harden Off (days)	5

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Oakleaf’s ruffled, deeply lobed leaves give you a bright, cool crunch that won’t collapse immediately under dressing—ideal for salads that need to stay Instagram-still. Its mild bitterness and juicy snap make it a smart base for lemony vinaigrettes and creamy crumbles alike, without turning metallic or too assertive.

Best Uses

fresh torn-and-tossed salads where the leaves stay crisp
quick sheet-pan or wok-finished dishes (add at the end so they don’t wilt hard)
leafy-mix bases for vinaigrettes and creamy dressings
blended, silky sauces where you want a light, fresh verdant finish

Flavor Profile

sweet, green-forward flavor tender crunch with a clean, watery snap mild bitterness that stays pleasantly low

Kitchen Pairings

lemon extra-virgin olive oil feta goat cheese salmon chickpeas

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s a common problem for Lactuca sativa (oakleaf lettuce), and how do I treat it?

A frequent issue is powdery mildew, which shows up as a white, dusty coating on leaves and spreads in cool, humid conditions. Improve airflow by spacing plants and watering at soil level (not on leaves), then remove heavily infected leaves. If it keeps recurring, spray an approved fungicide labeled for leafy greens and follow the label reapplication interval.

How often should I water oakleaf lettuce during the main growing phase?

Keep the top 1–2 inches of soil evenly moist from emergence through harvest; lettuce roots dry out quickly and stress can trigger bitterness and bolting. In warm part-sun conditions, this usually means watering about 2–4 times per week, with deeper soakings so moisture reaches the root zone. Water in the morning and avoid waterlogged soil, since overly wet beds can encourage fungal leaf diseases.

How can I tell when oakleaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is ready to harvest?

Harvest when heads/rosettes are well-formed for their size—typically around 50 days from sowing—and leaves are large enough for your preference without being overly mature. For leaf harvest, pick the outer leaves when they reach usable size and leave the center growing point intact. For whole-plant harvest, cut at the base when the plant has reached full, crisp leaf mass and before it starts to bolt (stems stretching upward).