Home / Growing Guides / How to Grow Buttercrunch Lettuce From Seed

A healthy Buttercrunch butterhead lettuce plant with a loose tender green head in a sunny garden

How to Grow Buttercrunch Lettuce From Seed

By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Updated July 2026

Buttercrunch is the beloved award-winning butterhead, forming a small, loose head of thick, smooth, buttery leaves with a sweet, mild flavor that never turns bitter when grown well. It is quick, forgiving, and a little more heat-tolerant than most butterheads, which makes it a favorite for beginners and experienced gardeners alike. Here is what makes this variety special and how to get the best from it.

This is the quick guide to Buttercrunch. For the full step-by-step on starting seeds, sowing, feeding, and troubleshooting lettuce, see our complete guide to growing lettuce from seed.

Quick start

Sow seed just an eighth of an inch deep, barely covered, since lettuce needs light to germinate. Thin plants to about 6 to 8 inches apart once they have a few true leaves. Buttercrunch forms tender loose heads in about 55 to 65 days, though you can pick outer leaves sooner. Harvest the whole head at the base while the leaves are sweet, before hot weather brings on bolting.

Best tip

Buttercrunch earned its name and its awards for a reason: it forms a tender, buttery loose head and holds its sweetness better than most butterheads when the weather warms. Sow it shallow since the seed needs light, keep the soil evenly moist, and it will stay mild even as spring turns to early summer. In hot regions like the South, give it afternoon shade and pick before a heat wave to keep the leaves from turning bitter.

At a glance

Botanical nameLactuca sativa

Plant typeCool-season annual (butterhead)

USDA zones2 to 11 (grown as an annual)

SunFull sun to part shade

Days to maturity55 to 65 days

Height6 to 8 inches

Spacing6 to 8 inches apart

WaterEven and steady; keep moist

Uses

Buttercrunch is the classic salad lettuce, with thick, tender, buttery leaves and a sweet, mild flavor that never turns bitter when grown well. Its soft, pliable leaves make perfect lettuce wraps and cups, and it shines in simple green salads dressed with little more than oil and vinegar. Harvest outer leaves as you need them or cut the whole loose head at the base.

Frequently asked questions

How long does Buttercrunch lettuce take to grow?

Buttercrunch forms tender, loose heads in about 55 to 65 days from sowing, but you can start snipping outer leaves well before that. It is quick and forgiving, making it a great choice for beginners.

What does Buttercrunch lettuce look and taste like?

It forms a small, loose green butterhead with thick, smooth, buttery leaves. The flavor is sweet, mild, and never bitter when grown in cool weather, which is why it is such a popular salad lettuce.

Is Buttercrunch good for warm weather?

Yes, Buttercrunch is more heat-tolerant than most butterheads and holds its sweetness longer as temperatures rise. Even so, give it afternoon shade and steady water in summer and pick it before a heat wave to avoid bitterness.

How do I harvest Buttercrunch lettuce?

You can pick individual outer leaves as needed for a cut-and-come-again harvest, or cut the whole loose head at the base once it feels full. Harvest in the cool of the morning for the crispest, sweetest leaves.

Ready to grow your own? Buttercrunch is one of the fifteen varieties in our lettuce and salad greens pack, so you can grow it alongside a whole salad garden. For the full step-by-step, see our complete lettuce growing guide linked at the top of this page.

Sale

Buttercrunch Lettuce Seeds – Non-GMO HeirloomHeirloom, non-GMOHeirloom Buttercrunch — buttery, heat-tolerant bibb heads.

Price$4.99Starting at$3.99

View product

Want more lettuce? These value packs pair Buttercrunch with other varieties:

Sale

Lettuce & Greens Seeds Variety Pack – Non-GMO Heirloom22 lettuce & greensAn even bigger salad collection — 22 lettuces and greens for months of fresh leaves in every color and texture.

Price$12.99Starting at$9.99

View product

By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Maxim founded Organo Republic in 2017 and personally selects, tests, and grows the heirloom, non-GMO varieties the company offers. Under his leadership, Organo Republic was named Agri Business Review’s Top Non-GMO Seed Variety Solution 2026.