Roman asparagus - Lactuca sativa var. angustana or var. cracoviensis - is thought to be the first stage in the evolution of "romaine" type lettuces, according to Les Légumes de Désiré Bois. These lettuces do not set seed, but quickly go to seed, giving rise to a thick, fleshy stalk. Once peeled and cooked, they make a magnificent vegetable and are eaten like asparagus. The leaves are best prepared cooked like spinach.
Highly prized in China, its stalks are known as "woh sun", meaning "lettuce shoot". There are many varieties, with very broad or very thin leaves, green or spotted with red...
Sown in the early days of March, the plant quickly goes to seed, producing delicious stalks 30 to 50 cm high by the end of June.
Sowing advice: from February to May, sow asparagus lettuce seeds in pots or trays, under a light shelter, at a temperature of between 10 and 18°C. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil and keep the substrate moist until emergence. Once the plants have 4 leaves, prick out the seedlings 30 cm apart in all directions. From March to June, sow directly in the ground, in rows 30 cm apart. Thin to 10 cm then 30 cm along the row. Stagger sowing every 15 days to space out harvests and enjoy this lettuce longer.
