Buttercrunch, Heirloom Butterhead Lettuce Seeds

Buttercrunch, Heirloom Butterhead Lettuce Seeds — The 1963 AAS Award Winner From Cornell University, USU-Recommended, Most Popular Butterhead With Mildly Sweet Buttery Flavor

Buttercrunch (Lactuca sativa) is the most popular butterhead lettuce variety in the American home garden — and its reputation is well-earned. First introduced by Cornell University, Buttercrunch debuted as the 1963 All-America Selections (AAS) vegetable winner for its exceptional tolerance to stress, poor soils, and bolting from summer heat. Also recommended by Utah State University as a top performing lettuce for home gardens. Compact, loose heads with smooth, thick, juicy leaves deliver a mildly sweet, buttery flavor that earns its name. Notably slow to bolt — giving you a longer harvest window than most lettuce. Harvest as baby greens from 21–30 days, pick outer leaves for continuous cut-and-come-again harvest, or wait for a full tight head at 60–70 days. 65 days.

Why Grow Buttercrunch?

• 1963 AAS Award Winner — introduced by Cornell University, proven for 60+ years
• USU-recommended variety — top-rated performance for home gardens
• Most popular butterhead type — a classic that earns its place every season
• Mildly sweet, buttery flavor — thick, juicy, smooth, and tender leaves
• Slow to bolt — extended harvest window compared to most lettuce varieties
• Triple harvest option — baby greens, cut-and-come-again outer leaves, or full head
• Tolerates stress and poor soils — reliable in a wide range of garden conditions
• Open-pollinated heirloom — save seed year after year

Harvesting Options

Baby greens: Begin harvesting tender young leaves at 21–30 days when plants are 3–4 inches tall — mild, delicate, and excellent in salads. Cut-and-come-again: Snip outer leaves as needed at any stage — plants will regrow vigorously from the center. Harvest in the morning for best texture and flavor. Full head: Allow 60–70 days for a compact, full butterhead. Harvest the entire head before flower stalks appear to avoid bitterness.

In the Kitchen

Buttercrunch’s thick, juicy leaves hold up beautifully in salads without wilting quickly. Use whole leaves as lettuce wraps for Asian-inspired fillings. Layer in sandwiches and burgers where the buttery texture shines. Tear into a classic garden salad with vinaigrette. Mix with sharper greens like arugula or radicchio for a balanced flavor contrast.

Growing Notes

Direct sow ⅛ inch deep (or surface sow — lettuce benefits from light) 2–4 weeks before last frost for spring harvest, or in late summer 8–10 weeks before first fall frost. Sow seeds 1 inch apart in rows 12–18 inches apart; thin to 6 inches as plants develop — crowding causes bitterness. Keep soil consistently moist and cool. Succession sow every 2–3 weeks for a continuous harvest all season. In hot climates, provide afternoon shade or mist foliage during peak heat to delay bolting. In warm climates, plant in late summer for a fall-through-spring harvest.

Packed and shipped by Box Garden Seeds LLC — heirloom seeds grown without GMOs, selected for flavor, resilience, and your garden’s success.