Celtuce

Celtuce stems & heads

Celtuce (Lactuca sativa var. asparagina, augustana, or angustata), also called stem lettuce, celery lettuce, asparagus lettuce, or Chinese lettuce, IPA (UK,US) /ˈsɛlt.əs/, is a cultivar of lettuce grown primarily for its thick stem, used as a vegetable. It is especially popular in China, and is called wosun (Chinese: 莴笋; pinyin: wōsǔn) or woju (Chinese: 莴苣; pinyin: wōjù) (although the latter name may also be used to mean lettuce in general).

Celtuce (foreground) for sale in Lhasa

Celtuce, raw

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	75 kJ (18 kcal)
Carbohydrates	3.65 g
Dietary fiber	1.7 g
Fat	0.3 g
Protein	0.85 g
Vitamins
Vitamin A equiv.	(22%) 175 μg
Thiamine (B1)	(5%) 0.055 mg
Riboflavin (B2)	(6%) 0.07 mg
Niacin (B3)	(4%) 0.55 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)	(4%) 0.183 mg
Vitamin B6	(4%) 0.05 mg
Folate (B9)	(12%) 46 μg
Vitamin C	(23%) 19.5 mg
Minerals
Calcium	(4%) 39 mg
Iron	(4%) 0.55 mg
Magnesium	(8%) 28 mg
Manganese	(33%) 0.688 mg
Phosphorus	(6%) 39 mg
Potassium	(7%) 330 mg
Sodium	(1%) 11 mg
Zinc	(3%) 0.27 mg
Link to USDA Database entry
Units μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams IU = International units
Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database

The stem is usually harvested at a length of around 15–20 cm and a diameter of around 3–4 cm. It is crisp, moist, and mildly flavored, and typically prepared by slicing and then stir frying with more strongly flavored ingredients.

Lechuga china o wosun

Lechuga china o wosun (2)