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What You Look For: A pale head (the more green, the more bitter)

What You Get: A bitter, pungent taste and a chewy texture

Pros: Makes a great foil for eggs, bacon, creamy dressings, and strong flavors

Cons: Not only aggressive but also expensive

Escarole

Common Varietal(s): Broad-Leaf Endive, Escarole

Exotic Varietal(s): Scarole, Batavian

What It Looks Like: Wide, fiat, dark green leaves that open off a yellow core

What You Look For: A compact head with moderate yellowing at its center

What You Get: A succulent, bittersweet green

Pros: Perks up moderately flavored salads; even better simmered in soups

Cons: Pugnacious, tough dark leaves

Microgreens, Mild to Bold

Not technically a botanical or agricultural category, these are small-leaf greens: some baby versions of their adult kin; others, small even in their mature phase. Most are familiar from packaged salad mixes, but markets now routinely sell them on their own, often in small wicker baskets. Perfect for mixing with other greens, most are too subtle or soft to create a satisfying salad on their own. They mostly lack varietals and exotic names since they themselves are often an exotic varietal of other larger greens.

Baby Oak Leaf Lettuce

What It Looks Like: An immature version of red or green oak leaf lettuce; the small leaves do indeed look like tiny oak leaves

What You Look For: Springy leaves that have not wilted or gone rusty

What You Get: A mild taste without the cloying softness often attributed to the adult kin

Pros: A delicate, refreshing green with a smooth, sweet finish

Cons: Knocked senseless by anything more assertive than a cucumber

Mâche

Also Known As: Corn Salad, Cow Salad, Lamb’s Lettuce, Rampon, or Doucette

What It Looks Like: A small, delicate green with thin, rounding leaves that sometimes end in an almost heart-shaped tip

What You Look For: If possible, buy this delicate green with its root ball or planting packet still attached

What You Get: A sweet, delicate, mildly grassy taste

Pros: Pairs well with radishes, corn, tomatoes, and cucumber

Cons: Extremely perishable—use it the day you buy it

Baby Spinach

What It Looks Like: Small, round, or oval spinach leaves, often with a slightly waxy finish

What You Look For: Tender, pliable greens without any tough stems or curly edges

What You Get: A salad-mix staple, thanks to its mild taste and tender bite

Pros: Stands up fairly well to bigger tastes and pairs well with protein and croutons

Cons: Overwhelmed by bitter greens and spicy dressings

Watercress

What It Looks Like: Small, rounded leaves off tender stems

What You Look For: Small stems and tender leaves; avoid large stems which are fibrous and must be removed

What You Get: A mustardy bite

Pros: Excellent on hamburgers or sandwiches, best with citrus vinaigrettes

Cons: Can be tough and chewy if the leaves are too mature or improperly stored

Mizuna

Also Known As: Japanese Mustard Greens

What It Looks Like: Tiny, spiky, pale green leaves

What You Look For: Smaller leaves with tender, pliable stems

What You Get: An acidic, almost lemony bite

Pros: Will perk up most salads but best against crunchy, light greens like a crisphead lettuce

Cons: Packs a wallop; should be worked into a salad in the same way radicchio is

Arugula

Also Known As: Rocket, Rugola, or Roquette (actually, now considered a larger category of cultivated, broad-leaf, non-head-forming greens, all from a wild, feathery plant little seen anymore)

What It Looks Like: Thin, jagged leaves, often like a spiky oval

What You Look For: Smaller leaves without waxiness or thick stems

What You Get: A hearty dose of bitter pepper

Pros: A good match for spicy salads, Asian foods, or citrus—and terrific on a pizza

Cons: Larger leaves can be tough and should be stemmed to avoid the fibrous core

Sorrel

What It Looks Like: Pale green, oblong leaves that become arrow-like at the stem

What You Look For: Pliable leaves, preferably less than 4 inches long

What You Get: A sour, very strong taste