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How to Grow Miner's Lettuce

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Miner's Lettuce

Claytonia perfoliata

vegetable

Miner's lettuce is a cool-season leafy green with distinctive round, succulent leaves that are often perfoliate (pierced by the stem). It has a mild, tender flavor and is highly nutritious, rich in vitamin C and other minerals. The plant produces delicate white flowers and is both ornamental and edible.

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Example Miner's Lettuce timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

  1. Plant Miner's Lettuce

    Around Apr 17

    Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.

  2. Tend & protect

    Late spring–summer

    Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.

  3. Harvest Miner's Lettuce

    Around May 17

    ≈ 30 days after planting

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Miner's Lettuce dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

☀️
Sun: Partial shade preferred in warm seasons; full sun in cool seasons (4-6 hours minimum)
💧
Water: Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Water regularly, especially during dry periods. Prefers cooler, moist conditions.
📏
Spacing: 4-6 inches
📅
Days to maturity: 30-50
🌱
Planting depth: Surface or barely covered (seeds are tiny)

Soil

Type: Well-draining loamy soil
pH: 6.0-7.0
Amendments:
Compost aged manure peat moss

Growing Zones

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Thrives in zones 3-9; prefers cool seasons

3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b

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Growth Stages

1

Germination

7-10 days

Tiny seeds sprout, producing first true leaves within 7-10 days

Keep soil moist and cool. Light exposure may aid germination. Thin seedlings to appropriate spacing.

2

Seedling

1-2 weeks

First round cotyledons appear, followed by true rounded leaves

Maintain consistent moisture and cool temperatures. Protect from excessive heat.

3

Vegetative Growth

2-3 weeks

Plant develops rosette of characteristic round, perfoliate leaves; becomes bushier

Water regularly, thin crowded plants, monitor for pests. Provide afternoon shade if temperatures rise above 75°F.

4

Flowering

1-2 weeks

Small white or pink flowers appear in leaf axils; plant begins to bolt

Harvest leaves before heavy flowering for best tenderness, though flowers are also edible. In cool seasons, can harvest simultaneously with flowering.

5

Seed Development

2-3 weeks

Flowers develop into seed pods; leaves become tougher and more bitter

Allow plants to set seed for self-seeding next season, or harvest before seeds mature if continuing harvest.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Radish Spinach Arugula Lettuce Peas Chard Kale

Avoid planting near:

Fennel Dill

Common Pests

  • and

    Handpick, use copper barriers, beer traps, or diatomaceous earth around plants

  • Use row covers, neem oil spray, or insecticidal soap; ensure adequate moisture

  • Spray with strong water stream, use neem oil, or introduce ladybugs

  • Improve air circulation, avoid overhead watering, use sulfur dust if needed

Uses

🍳

Fresh Salads and Raw Greens

Culinary

Tender, succulent leaves are excellent in fresh salads, providing a mild, slightly sweet flavor. Often used as an attractive salad green in gourmet cuisine. [source]

🍳

Cooked Greens and Sautéing

Culinary

Leaves can be gently sautéed with garlic and olive oil, or added to soups and cooked dishes. Milder flavor than many cooking greens makes it suitable for delicate preparations. [source]

💊

High Vitamin C Source

Medicinal

Miner's lettuce is exceptionally rich in vitamin C, making it historically valued by miners for preventing scurvy. It also contains valuable minerals including calcium and iron. [source]

🦋

Pollinator Support

Wildlife

Delicate white or pink flowers attract bees and other beneficial insects. Allowing plants to flower provides nectar for spring and fall pollinators. [source]

🏠

Ornamental Edible Green

Household

Attractive round leaves and delicate flowers make miner's lettuce suitable for ornamental edible gardens, container planting, and decorative landscaping. [source]

This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.

Harvest Tips

Harvest leaves when young and tender, typically 30-50 days after planting or when rosette is 2-4 inches across. Use cut-and-come-again method by removing outer leaves. Can harvest the entire plant at once or pick individual leaves. Best harvested in cool morning hours. Flowers are also edible and add visual appeal to salads.

Fun Facts

  • 🌱 Miner's lettuce earned its common name because gold miners during the California Gold Rush ate it to prevent scurvy, as it's extremely rich in vitamin C.
  • 🌱 The plant's distinctive perfoliate leaves (where the stem appears to pierce through the leaf center) are a unique botanical feature that aids water collection to the plant's roots.
  • 🌱 Miner's lettuce readily self-seeds, making it a prolific volunteer in cool-season gardens once established, providing continuous harvests with minimal replanting.

Gardening Terms

New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:

Bolt Full Sun Germination Partial Shade True Leaves
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