Common lettuce, Lactuca sativa, has its origins in the Middle East. Egyptian wall murals of Min, the god of fertility, depict lettuce in cultivation in about 2700 B.C. The erect plant — similar to modern romaine, with a thick stem and milky sap — had sexual connotations. Min consumed lettuce as a sacred food for sexual stamina, and ordinary Egyptians used the oil of the wild seeds for medicine, cooking, and mummification.
Escarole
$3.49
The origin of escarole is Europe although some have thought it to be native to Sicily. It is a widely distributed plant. It is not known when escarole was first used in the U.S., but in 1806 the green curled and the broad-leaved types were mentioned as being in cultivation, used primarily a salad plant.
Kale
$1.99
Kale originated in the eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor, where it was cultivated for food beginning by 2000 B.C. at the latest. Curly-leaved varieties of cabbage already existed along with flat-leaved varieties in Greece in the 4th century BC.
Mustard-Greens
$2.49
They originated in the Himalayan region of India more than 5,000 years ago. The first varietal differentiation of mustard greens was cultivated in China near Sichuan. Like almost all leafy green vegetables, mustard greens contain antioxidants that protect your body from free radical damage. They’re also a great source of fiber, which helps to regulate your digestive tract and lower high cholesterol levels.
Romaine-Lettuce
$1.99
Lettuce was first cultivated in ancient Egypt for the production of oil from its seeds. This plant was probably selectively bred by the Egyptians into a plant grown for its edible leaves, with evidence of its cultivation appearing as early as 2680 BC.
Spinach
$0.99
Spinach is thought to have originated in ancient Persia (modern Iran and neighboring countries). The plant was subsequently introduced to ancient China, where it was known as "Persian vegetable"