Mache is loaded with this vital nutrient (64% of the Daily Value in a 3.5-oz serving, according to USDA's Nutrition Facts data for mache lettuce).

In fact, on an ounce-by-ounce basis, mache contains almost as much vitamin C as lemon juice!

Most people associate pro-vitamin A with orange vegetables, such as carrots and apricots, but there are also plenty of green leafy vegetables that are packed with this eye sight protecting nutrient.

Just one ounce of fresh mache lettuce, for example, provides a whopping 18% of the Daily Value for vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids).

In addition to keeping your eyes healthy, vitamin A is crucial for healthy mucous membranes. It also acts as an antioxidant, providing protection against free radical damage associated with many chronic diseases and premature aging.

Mache is a great source of B complex vitamin. (A 3.5-ounce or 100-gram serving of mache provides 14% of the Daily Value for vitamin B6, according to USDA's Nutrition Facts analysis).

Also known as pyridoxine, vitamin B6 is a versatile nutrient that performs a wide variety of functions in the body.

It is involved, for example, in the metabolism of amino acids (proteins), carbohydrates, and lipids (fats), as well as in cognitive development and immune function.

It can also help repair damaged connective tissue and prevent toxin build-up and bloating, which is why it is considered a vital component of anti-cellulite diets.

Along with spinach, mache lettuce is at the top of the list of iron-containing salad greens.

A 3.5-oz serving of raw mache provides 2.2 milligrams of iron (or 12% of the Daily Value), which makes mache only a slightly less concentrated source of iron than spinach.

If you're one of the eight million American women who are deficient in iron and are trying increase your intake of this vital mineral, take note though: the iron found in vegetables, including mache lettuce, is non-heme iron – a type of iron that is not absorbed by our bodies as well as iron found in meat and poultry.

Therefore, people suffering from an iron deficiency are usually advised to eat more meat and poultry (or take high-quality iron supplements) in order to quickly supply their bodies with highly-absorbable heme iron.

If the nutritional and health benefits of mache lettuce described above are not enough to convince you to add this unassuming salad green to your diet, consider this: Mache is also a wonderful source of potassium and copper, both of which are famous for their heart health protecting properties.

Potassium helps regulate blood pressure, while copper helps keep your cholesterol levels in check. In addition, studies have linked copper deficiency to abnormal electrocardiograms, glucose intolerance and high blood pressure (hypertension).

SCIENTIFIC NAME:Valerianella locusta

CULTURE:Mache, also known as "corn salad" or "lamb's lettuce," grows well in cool or mild weather conditions. Mache can be planted anytime soil temperatures range from 41-68°F (5-20°C). Do not sow if soil temperatures have exceeded 68°F (20°C). At temperatures greater than 70°F (21°C) the seed will go dormant. In northern latitudes mache can be grown year-round utilizing open field, cold greenhouse, and high tunnel systems. In southern areas mache is adapted for open field winter production. Sow 1" apart in rows 4-18" apart. Mache germinates slowly in 10-14 days.

HARVEST:Cut young rosettes (entire plants) at the root attachment when 2-3" tall. Mache can be used alone, or as a component of a salad mix.

AVG. DIRECT SEEDING RATE:750'/oz., 5 1/4 lb./acre at 36 seeds/ft. in rows 12" apart. Up to double this rate is often used.