Mascara
Lactuca sativa 'Mascara'
A stunning red oakleaf lettuce with deeply lobed leaves that transition from green to burgundy red at the tips. This European variety brings both beauty and flavor to the garden, with tender leaves that have a subtle nutty taste. The dramatic coloring intensifies in cool weather, making it perfect for fall gardens and adding visual interest to any salad.
Harvest
50-60d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun to partial shade
Zones
2–11
USDA hardiness
Height
6-12 inches
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Mascara in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 lettuce →Zone Map
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Mascara · Zones 2–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | — | — | May – June | June – October |
| Zone 4 | — | — | April – June | June – October |
| Zone 5 | — | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 6 | — | — | April – May | May – November |
| Zone 7 | — | — | March – May | May – November |
| Zone 8 | — | — | March – April | April – December |
| Zone 9 | — | — | February – March | March – December |
| Zone 10 | — | — | January – March | March – December |
| Zone 1 | — | — | June – July | July – September |
| Zone 2 | — | — | May – July | July – September |
| Zone 11 | — | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 12 | — | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 13 | — | — | January – February | February – December |
Succession Planting
Direct sow Mascara every 14 days starting around March 1. Keep going through early May, then stop — once daytime highs are consistently hitting 75-80°F, the plants bolt fast and the leaves turn bitter within a week. Pick back up in late August for a fall run, sowing every 14 days through mid-September; days to harvest stretch a bit as temps drop, so plan on 60-70 days rather than 50.
The fall succession tends to be more forgiving than spring because you're moving into cooler weather instead of racing against heat. If you want to extend the spring window, find a spot with afternoon shade — even 1-2 hours of shade after 2 p.m. can delay bolting by a week or more.
Complete Growing Guide
Mascara's color development requires cool-season timing—plant in late summer for fall harvest or early spring in cooler climates to achieve that signature burgundy intensification, as warm weather may leave leaves predominantly green. This oakleaf type appreciates consistent moisture and partial shade in hot regions, preventing premature bolting that occurs faster than butterhead varieties. Mascara shows moderate resistance to common lettuce diseases but remains susceptible to aphids, which hide effectively in deeply lobed foliage; inspect undersides regularly and use row covers during early growth. The delicate leaves bruise easily, so handle gently during thinning and harvest. For best results, direct-seed thinly rather than transplanting, spacing plants 8–10 inches apart to allow leaves room to develop their dramatic lobing and color without crowding-induced stretching or decay.
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: High Organic Matter. Soil pH: Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: Less than 12 inches. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: Medium. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
Harvest Mascara lettuce when the deeply lobed leaves display rich burgundy coloring at the tips while maintaining green centers, signaling peak tenderness and flavor intensity. Individual leaves reach optimal size at 4-6 inches long and should feel crisp and succulent to the touch rather than limp or wilted. For continuous harvests, pinch off outer leaves regularly once the plant reaches 6 inches tall, allowing inner leaves to develop for repeated pickings over several weeks. Alternatively, cut the entire head at soil level for a single harvest. Time your main harvest for early morning after dew has dried, as this is when leaves contain maximum moisture and crispness, and prioritize harvesting before temperatures warm significantly, as heat causes rapid bolting and bitterness.
Tiny seeds with a dandelion-like tuft (pappus) to aid in wind dispersal.
Color: Brown/Copper. Type: Achene. Length: < 1 inch. Width: < 1 inch.
Harvest time: Summer
Edibility: Leaves can be used raw or cooked in salads, sandwiches, and other dishes. Head lettuce can be stored for 2-3 weeks while leaf and butterhead store for 1-2 weeks.
Storage & Preservation
Fresh Mascara lettuce keeps best when stored properly in your refrigerator's crisper drawer. Wrap unwashed heads loosely in damp paper towels, then place in perforated plastic bags. This maintains humidity while allowing air circulation, keeping leaves crisp for 7-10 days.
Wash leaves only when ready to use, as excess moisture accelerates decay. If you must wash before storing, use a salad spinner to remove moisture thoroughly, then store with dry paper towels to absorb any remaining water.
While lettuce doesn't freeze well for traditional preservation, you can extend its usefulness by making compound herb butters with chopped leaves, freezing them in ice cube trays. The tender leaves also work well dehydrated into seasoning powder using a food dehydrator at 95°F for 6-8 hours. For immediate use, Mascara's beautiful coloring makes it perfect for pickling the stems and ribs in light vinegar brines, creating colorful garnishes that keep for weeks refrigerated.
History & Origin
This red oakleaf lettuce belongs to a broader European tradition of ornamental and culinary leaf lettuce breeding that gained prominence in the 20th century, particularly among French and Italian seed companies specializing in gourmet salad varieties. While specific documentation of 'Mascara's' original breeder, year of introduction, and exact breeding lineage remains limited in readily available sources, the variety exemplifies the red oakleaf lettuce type—characterized by deeply lobed leaves and anthocyanin pigmentation that intensifies under cool conditions. Such varieties emerged from heritage European selections and modern breeding programs focused on combining visual appeal with tender texture and mild flavor profiles ideal for fresh market and home garden cultivation.
Origin: Mediterranean to Siberia
Advantages
- +Stunning red oakleaf appearance adds visual appeal to salads and gardens
- +Dramatic burgundy coloring intensifies in cool fall weather for peak beauty
- +Mild, sweet flavor with nutty undertones offers excellent taste complexity
- +Fast 50-60 day maturity provides relatively quick harvest from planting
- +Tender leaves and easy-to-moderate growing difficulty suit beginner gardeners
Considerations
- -Vulnerable to multiple pests including aphids, slugs, snails, and flea beetles
- -Susceptible to three serious diseases: downy mildew, bottom rot, and mosaic virus
- -Red coloring requires cool weather, limiting spring and summer productivity
Companion Plants
Radishes are the most practical plant to put near Mascara — they germinate in 5-7 days, mark your rows early, and their volatile compounds confuse flea beetles that would otherwise pepper your lettuce leaves with small holes. Chives and garlic work on a related principle: the sulfur compounds they release deter aphids, including the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) that carries lettuce mosaic virus from plant to plant. Carrots share the bed without much competition because their roots push down past 12 inches while lettuce stays in the top 6-8 inches. Nasturtiums planted at the bed's edge draw aphids off the lettuce — genuine trap-crop behavior you can act on by pulling the nasturtium when it gets heavily colonized.
Fennel is incompatible with nearly everything in the vegetable garden, lettuce included. Its roots release allelopathic compounds that stunt neighboring plants; give it at least 3 feet of clearance. Broccoli is a subtler problem — it competes hard for the same shallow moisture and casts enough shade to slow Mascara's head development, especially in the 6-8 week cool window when both crops are pushing for size at the same time.
Plant Together
Chives
Repels aphids and other soft-bodied insects that damage lettuce
Carrots
Deep roots don't compete with shallow lettuce roots, and carrots help break up soil
Radishes
Quick-growing radishes help break up soil and can be harvested before lettuce needs full space
Marigolds
Repel nematodes and aphids while attracting beneficial insects
Spinach
Similar growing conditions and shallow roots make them compatible companions
Garlic
Natural pest deterrent that repels aphids and slugs that commonly attack lettuce
Nasturtiums
Act as trap crops for aphids and cucumber beetles, drawing pests away from lettuce
Dill
Attracts beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings that control lettuce pests
Keep Apart
Broccoli
Competes for nutrients and space, both being heavy feeders with similar root zones
Fennel
Releases allelopathic compounds that inhibit germination and growth of lettuce
Parsley
Can attract carrot flies and competes for similar nutrients in the same soil layer
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #2346388)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Good bolt resistance in cool weather. Moderate downy mildew resistance.
Common Pests
Aphids, slugs, snails, flea beetles
Diseases
Downy mildew, bottom rot, lettuce mosaic virus
Troubleshooting Mascara
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Seedlings collapse and die within the first 7-10 days after going in the ground, sometimes with fuzzy whitish mold on the soil surface nearby
Likely Causes
- Damping off — a complex of soil-borne fungi (Pythium spp., Rhizoctonia solani) that attacks seedling stems at the soil line
- Replanting in the same bed year after year, which lets pathogen populations build up
What to Do
- 1.Don't replant lettuce in the same bed more than two years running — rotate to a different crop family for at least one season
- 2.Improve drainage before planting; Pythium thrives in waterlogged soil, so amend heavy clay with compost and raise the bed if needed
- 3.Start fresh seed in sterile potting mix rather than reusing trays or soil from a previous season
Yellow, angular patches on upper leaf surfaces with gray-white fuzzy growth on the undersides, usually appearing in cool, damp stretches
Likely Causes
- Downy mildew (Bremia lactucae) — spreads fast in temps between 50-65°F with high humidity or overhead moisture
- Crowded planting that traps moisture between leaves
What to Do
- 1.Space plants at least 8-10 inches apart so air moves through the canopy
- 2.Water at the base, not overhead — drip irrigation or a soaker hose keeps foliage dry
- 3.Pull and trash affected outer leaves; if more than half the plant is involved, pull the whole thing before it spreads to neighbors
Outer and lower leaves turning slimy brown and collapsing against the soil, often with a foul smell
Likely Causes
- Bottom rot (Rhizoctonia solani) — soil-borne fungus that moves up from the ground, especially in warm, wet conditions
- Mulch or soil piled against the base of the plant holding moisture against the stem
What to Do
- 1.Pull mulch back an inch or two from the base of each plant
- 2.Harvest heads promptly at 50-60 days — plants left sitting past maturity are more susceptible
- 3.Rotate out of this bed for at least one full season; R. solani persists in soil
Leaves show mosaic-patterned yellowing, puckering, or distortion — not limited to lower leaves, and spreading across the planting over a few weeks
Likely Causes
- Lettuce mosaic virus (LMV) — transmitted by aphids, primarily the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae)
- Infected transplants or seed lot introduced at planting
What to Do
- 1.Check the undersides of leaves weekly for aphid colonies and knock them off with a firm stream of water
- 2.Remove and bag any plant showing mosaic symptoms immediately — the virus spreads fast once aphids are active
- 3.Source seed from reputable suppliers that test for LMV; certified mosaic-free seed is available and worth the small extra cost
Frequently Asked Questions
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Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
Where to Buy Seeds
Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.