Red Sails

Family: Asteraceae Leafy Green

Planting Schedule

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

Crisp, ocean-bright leaves unfurl in airy rosettes, with a vivid red sail of color rising over cool green ribs.

Red Sails delivers tender, sweet-leaning crunch and a delicate, ruffled texture that stays pleasantly crisp as temperatures settle. Ideal for fresh salads and vibrant garnishes, it also shines when used to build leafy bowls and quick tosses of flavor-ready greens.

Light: Part SunMaturity: 55 DaysHabit: Rosette

Location not set yet

Enter your ZIP for local crop dates

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

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	55
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)	6

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Red Sails has a tender-crisp bite with enough sweetness to stand up to sharp acids without turning watery, which makes it a star in dressed salads. The ruffled texture grabs vinaigrette and stays snappy long enough to eat—no limp regrets.

Best Uses

shingle-thin salad bases where the leaves won’t collapse under dressing
quick lettuce-and-herb tosses with warm vinaigrette (let it sit 60–90 seconds)
leafy cups for crisp fillings—think herby chickpeas or grilled chicken
garnish that adds red-and-green crunch to bowls, tacos, and soup toppers

Flavor Profile

sweet-leaning, cool brightness snappy, ocean-crisp crunch lightly peppered, delicate leaf bitterness ruffled, tender texture that holds a fork well

Kitchen Pairings

lemon olive oil balsamic vinegar parmesan grilled chicken avocado

Frequently Asked Questions

What disease or pest most commonly affects Lactuca sativa (red leaf lettuce) like “Red Sails,” and how do I control it?

A frequent problem is downy mildew (often starting as pale yellow patches on leaves with gray-violet growth underneath). Improve airflow and avoid wetting leaves when watering, then remove infected outer leaves; if it spreads, use an appropriate labeled fungicide for lettuce mildew and start rotating to a fresh bed to reduce recurrence.

How often should I water Lactuca sativa during the main growing phase, and what soil moisture level should I keep?

Keep soil consistently evenly moist but not waterlogged, especially from about week 2 until harvest around day 55. In warm spells, this usually means watering lightly enough to prevent the root zone from drying out—aim for the top 1 inch to remain slightly damp; if lettuce leaves look limp by afternoon, increase frequency rather than volume.

How can I tell when Lactuca sativa “Red Sails” is ready to harvest?

Harvest when heads/rosettes are fully formed for the variety and leaves feel crisp and firm rather than floppy, typically around 55 days from sowing. For best flavor, pick in the morning and harvest before the plant bolts—early signs include rapid vertical growth and a tougher, more bitter leaf taste.