Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is an annual of the Asteraceae family and native to the Mediterranean. It is thought to have originated in Europe and Asia and been cultivated for at least 2000 years. The cultivated lettuce Lactuca sativa is a popular salad vegetable and is grown on all continents throughout the world including Australia. This fact sheet includes information on production, lettuce types, sowing, nutrition, climate and varietal selection, weed control, irrigation, spray application, disease control, insect pest control, yield and harvesting, cost of production, and storage and production.