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Skyphos

Lactuca sativa

Skyphos is a heirloom romaine lettuce variety prized for its exceptionally sweet, crisp, and tender leaves with the classic satisfying crunch of traditional romaines. This Greek variety matures in approximately 47 days, producing upright heads with a distinctive appearance. The name references the ancient Greek drinking cup, reflecting its heritage. Skyphos thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers well-drained, fertile soil with consistent moisture. Its superior flavor profile and reliability make it an excellent choice for fresh salads where quality and taste are paramount. Relatively easy to grow despite susceptibility to common lettuce pests.

Harvest

47d

Days to harvest

📅

Sun

Full sun to partial shade

☀️

Zones

2–11

USDA hardiness

🗺️

Height

6-12 inches

📏

Planting Timeline

Zone:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Direct Sow

Harvest

Direct Sow

Harvest

Showing dates for Skyphos in USDA Zone 7

All Zone 7 lettuce →

Zone Map

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Skyphos · Zones 2–11

What grows well in Zone 7? →

Growing Details

Difficulty

Easy

Spacing4-6 inches

SoilWell-drained, fertile soil with good moisture retention

pH6.0-7.0

Water1 inch per week, consistent light watering

SeasonWarm season annual

FlavorSweet, crisp, and tender with classic romaine crunch

ColorBright medium green with pale yellow-green hearts

Size4-5 inch tall, 3-4 inch wide mini heads

Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar

Zone	Indoor Start	Transplant	Direct Sow	Harvest
Zone 3	—	—	May – June	June – October
Zone 4	—	—	April – June	June – October
Zone 5	—	—	April – May	May – November
Zone 6	—	—	April – May	May – November
Zone 7	—	—	March – May	May – November
Zone 8	—	—	March – April	April – December
Zone 9	—	—	February – March	March – December
Zone 10	—	—	January – March	March – December
Zone 1	—	—	June – July	July – September
Zone 2	—	—	May – July	July – September
Zone 11	—	—	January – February	February – December
Zone 12	—	—	January – February	February – December
Zone 13	—	—	January – February	February – December

Succession Planting

Direct sow every 14 days starting March 1 in zone 7. Plan to stop by mid-May — once daytime highs hold consistently above 80°F, Skyphos will bolt fast and the leaves turn bitter enough to skip. Pick back up around August 15, once soil temps drop back below 75°F, and sow through late September for fall cuts that can run into November. At 47 days to harvest, a two-week cadence gives you near-continuous picking with minimal gaps between sowings.

Complete Growing Guide

Beautiful large dark red heads with nicely contrasting green centers. Excellent flavor and texture. The surest heading of red butterheads. Utility Patent granted. MT0-30. Also available with NOP-compliant pelleting. According to Johnny's Selected Seeds, Skyphos is 47 days to maturity, annual, open pollinated. Disease resistance includes Downy Mildew, Lettuce Leaf Aphid Nasonovia ribisnigri, Lettuce Mosaic Virus. Notable features: Hydroponic Performer, Heat Tolerant.

Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: High Organic Matter. Soil pH: Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: Less than 12 inches. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: Medium. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.

Harvesting

Skyphos reaches harvest at 47 days from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. As an annual, harvest continues until frost ends the season.

Tiny seeds with a dandelion-like tuft (pappus) to aid in wind dispersal.

Color: Brown/Copper. Type: Achene. Length: < 1 inch. Width: < 1 inch.

Harvest time: Summer

Edibility: Leaves can be used raw or cooked in salads, sandwiches, and other dishes. Head lettuce can be stored for 2-3 weeks while leaf and butterhead store for 1-2 weeks.

Storage & Preservation

Store freshly harvested Skyphos immediately in the refrigerator wrapped in damp paper towels inside perforated plastic bags. Keep at 32-36°F with high humidity (95-98%) for optimal storage. Properly stored heads maintain quality for 7-10 days, though peak crispness occurs within the first 3-4 days.

Avoid washing before storage—clean just before use to prevent premature deterioration. Remove any damaged outer leaves before storing. For short-term storage, place cut heads stem-down in shallow water and cover with plastic bags.

While lettuce doesn't preserve well through traditional methods like canning or drying, you can extend usability by blanching leaves for 30 seconds and freezing them for use in cooked dishes like soups or stir-fries. Fermented lettuce can be made into kimchi-style preparations, though the delicate texture changes significantly. Consider succession planting rather than preservation for continuous fresh harvests.

History & Origin

Skyphos is open-pollinated, meaning seed saved from healthy plants will produce true-to-type offspring. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.

Origin: Mediterranean to Siberia

Advantages

+Beautiful dark red heads with striking green centers provide visual appeal
+Reliable heading variety ensures consistent butterhead formation in most growing conditions
+Fast maturity at 47 days allows multiple succession plantings per season
+Sweet, crisp flavor with classic romaine crunch delivers excellent eating quality
+Patented variety offers superior genetics compared to standard red butterhead options

Considerations

-Susceptible to downy mildew and lettuce drop in humid or wet conditions
-Vulnerable to common pests including aphids, flea beetles, slugs, and leaf miners
-Bacterial soft rot risk requires careful water management and good air circulation

Companion Plants

Radishes germinate in 5–7 days and pull double duty as a trap crop, drawing flea beetles away from Skyphos before it gets established — sow a short border when you direct sow the lettuce. Chives and garlic both produce organosulfur compounds that aphids find off-putting, and aphids do real damage on lettuce, so either one along the bed edge pays for itself. Skip fennel entirely: its root exudates suppress many leafy greens, and Skyphos at a pH of 6.0–7.0 is already asking for specific soil conditions without adding that complication. Broccoli is the other one to avoid — its shallow roots compete directly for the consistent 1 inch of weekly moisture that lettuce needs to stay tender.

Plant Together

Basil

Repels aphids and whiteflies, may improve flavor

Chives

Deters aphids and other pests with strong scent

Carrots

Loosens soil for lettuce roots, compatible growing requirements

Radishes

Quick harvest leaves space for lettuce, breaks up soil

Marigolds

Repels nematodes and aphids, attracts beneficial insects

Spinach

Similar growing conditions, efficient space usage

Nasturtiums

Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles

Garlic

Natural pest deterrent, repels aphids and slugs

Keep Apart

Broccoli

Competes for nutrients and space, similar pest vulnerabilities

Fennel

Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathy

Sunflowers

Creates too much shade and competes heavily for nutrients

Nutrition Facts

Protein

0.742g(1%)

Carbs

3.37g(1%)

Fat

0.0738g(0%)

Vitamin K

20.5mcg(17%)

Iron

0.0332mg(0%)

Calcium

14.2mg(1%)

Potassium

139mg(3%)

Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #2346388)

Pests & Disease Resistance

Resistance

Downy Mildew (EU) races 16-26, 32 (High); Downy Mildew (US) races 5-9 (High); Lettuce Leaf Aphid Nasonovia ribisnigri (High); Lettuce Mosaic Virus (Intermediate)

Common Pests

Aphids, flea beetles, slugs, leaf miners

Diseases

Downy mildew, lettuce drop, bacterial soft rot

Troubleshooting Skyphos

What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.

Seedlings collapse at soil level within the first 7-10 days after planting — stems look pinched or water-soaked at the base

Likely Causes

Damping off — a complex of soil-borne fungi (Pythium spp., Rhizoctonia solani) that thrive in cool, wet, poorly-draining soil
Replanting in the same bed where lettuce has grown for 2-3+ consecutive seasons, allowing pathogen load to build

What to Do

1.Don't water overhead in the evening — wet soil overnight is where damping off gets its footing
2.Rotate lettuce out of any bed it's occupied for more than two consecutive seasons
3.If starting seeds indoors, use a sterile seed-starting mix and don't let trays sit in standing water

White to gray fuzzy coating on the undersides of outer leaves, sometimes with yellow patches on the upper surface

Likely Causes

Downy mildew (Bremia lactucae) — spreads fast in humid conditions with temps between 50–65°F, common in spring and fall

What to Do

1.Pull affected leaves immediately and bin them — don't compost
2.Space plants the full 6 inches apart to get air moving through the canopy
3.Water in the morning so leaves dry well before nightfall

Ragged holes or a shot-hole pattern in young leaves, appearing quickly after transplant or germination

Likely Causes

Flea beetles (Phyllotreta spp.) — tiny, dark, jumping beetles that hit young transplants hard
Slugs — especially if damage appears overnight and the soil surface is damp

What to Do

1.Drape row cover (Reemay or similar) over transplants the same day you put them in — flea beetles find fresh plants within hours
2.For slugs, set iron phosphate bait at the base of plants in the evening, or sink a beer trap nearby
3.Flea beetle pressure typically drops once Skyphos reaches 4–5 inches tall and has enough leaf mass to outpace the feeding

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Skyphos lettuce take to grow from seed?▼

Skyphos lettuce takes 45-50 days from seed to harvest, which is 2-3 weeks faster than traditional full-size romaine varieties. This quick maturity makes it perfect for succession planting every 2-3 weeks for continuous harvests throughout the growing season.

Can you grow Skyphos lettuce in containers?▼

Yes, Skyphos is excellent for container growing due to its compact 4-5 inch size. Use containers at least 6 inches deep and 6 inches wide per plant. Space plants 4-5 inches apart in larger containers. Ensure good drainage and consistent moisture for best results.

Is Skyphos lettuce good for beginners?▼

Skyphos is ideal for beginning gardeners because it's fast-growing, has good disease resistance, and is forgiving of minor growing mistakes. Its compact size makes it easy to manage, and the quick 45-50 day harvest provides encouraging results for new gardeners.

What does Skyphos lettuce taste like compared to regular romaine?▼

Skyphos offers classic romaine crunch and texture but with enhanced sweetness compared to full-size varieties. The flavor is crisp, fresh, and tender with less bitterness, making it excellent for salads and even appealing to children who typically avoid lettuce.

When should I plant Skyphos lettuce for fall harvest?▼

Plant Skyphos for fall harvest 10-12 weeks before your first hard frost. In most areas, this means late July to early August planting. Fall-grown Skyphos often has superior flavor and sweetness due to cooler growing conditions during head development.

Can Skyphos lettuce regrow after cutting?▼

Yes, if you cut Skyphos about 1 inch above soil level leaving the roots intact, it will often produce a second smaller harvest of leaves in 2-3 weeks. While these secondary growths won't form full heads, they provide tender leaves perfect for salads.