China first started growing lettuce (Lactuta sativa L.) in the seventh century, according to one source, although another source writes that lettuce was introduced earlier, in the fifth century. It is not quite clear as to how lettuce got to China. The country has long been the leading lettuce producer in the world, with roughly of lettuce produced in 2005, and on in 2006. China accounts for around half of the world's total lettuce production.
