Castagneto Po Lettuce
Castagneto Po Lettuce belongs to the species Lactuca sativa L., family Asteraceae or Compositae, is an annual herbaceous plant consisting of a more or less developed central nucleus of very tender leaves, whole and leaning one against the other.
It is a small-size lettuce, similar to Parella, with rounded leaves, slightly wavy, forming a rosette of 10-15 cm of diameter. In origin, there was only a green variety, which has been recently completed by a red variety obtained from crossbreeds.
The edible part is formed by the leaves forming a more or less open small-size heads, that are eaten raw in salad.
Traditionally, it was cultivated in the sunny hilly areas among the vineyards.
It is sown in autumn and harvested in winter-spring.
The current production is rather limited, although this variety is appreciated for its tenderness and sweet taste.
- Production Area: Castagneto Po and adjacent Municipalities in the hills (S. Raffaele Cimena, Casalborgone, Rivalba, S. Sebastiano Da Po).
- Legislative Protection: Castagneto Po Lettuce is classified among the "Traditional Agri-foodstuffs of Regione Piemonte", according to art. 8 of the Legislative Decree 30th April 1998, n. 173 and the Annex to the Decisions of the Regional Council 15th April 2002 n. 46-5823.
