SproutSmart
SproutSmart™ Intelligent Garden Sowing

Mayan Jaguar

Family: Asteraceae Leafy Green

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Mayan Jaguar to a garden.

Unfurl Mayan Jaguar’s butterhead rosettes into the garden and savor their velvety, spoon-soft leaves—cool, sweet, and richly green with a subtly buttery finish.

At maturity in about 55 days, the heads form a dense, rounded cup with tender, crinkled texture that stays pleasantly crisp for harvest. Ideal for fresh salads and elegant leaf-forward platters, Mayan Jaguar brings a lush, garden-fresh sweetness to every bite.

Light: Part SunMaturity: 55 DaysHabit: Rosette

Botanical illustration of Mayan Jaguar

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Mayan Jaguar Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone Start Indoors Sow / Transplant Harvest
Zone 1a Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b May 4th May 25th Jul 19th – Aug 1st
Zone 2a Apr 27th May 18th Jul 12th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b Apr 17th May 8th Jul 2nd – Aug 25th
Zone 3a Apr 17th May 8th Jul 2nd – Sep 1st
Zone 3b Apr 21st May 12th Jul 6th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a Apr 17th May 8th Jul 2nd – Sep 24th
Zone 4b Apr 15th May 6th Jun 30th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a Apr 10th May 1st Jun 25th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b Apr 6th Apr 27th Jun 21st – Oct 5th
Zone 6a Apr 3rd Apr 24th Jun 18th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b Mar 28th Apr 18th Jun 12th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a Mar 23rd Apr 13th Jun 7th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b Mar 13th Apr 3rd May 28th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a Mar 4th Mar 25th May 19th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b Feb 23rd Mar 16th May 10th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a Feb 6th Feb 27th Apr 23rd – Nov 26th
Zone 9b Jan 12th Feb 2nd Mar 29th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a — Oct 1st Nov 25th – Feb 28th
Zone 10b — Oct 1st Nov 25th – Feb 28th
Zone 11a — Oct 1st Nov 25th – Feb 28th
Zone 11b — Oct 1st Nov 25th – Feb 28th
Zone 12a — Oct 1st Nov 25th – Feb 28th
Zone 12b — Oct 1st Nov 25th – Feb 28th
Zone 13a — Oct 1st Nov 25th – Feb 28th
Zone 13b — Oct 1st Nov 25th – Feb 28th

Crop Details

TraitValue
Days to Maturity55
Sun RequirementsPart SunPartial sun
Growth HabitRosette
Support NeededNone
Planting DepthSurface
Germination Temp (°F)60
Min Soil Temp (°F)40
Min Night Temp (°F)35
Harden Off (days)6

Culinary Notes


Chef's Note

Mayan Jaguar’s butterhead softness turns dressing into a thin, creamy slick instead of a soggy mess, so you want it lightly coated and eaten promptly. Its mild sweetness and buttery finish make it an unusually elegant foil for salty, fatty proteins and sharp citrus.

Best Uses

  • butterhead lettuce leaves as the base for composed salads where dressing lightly clings
  • chopped tender-crisp salads that stay snappy for a short window
  • leaf-forward platters with rich proteins where the lettuce acts like an edible cushion
  • briefly dressed, warm-room-temperature tosses so it doesn’t go watery

Flavor Profile

cool sweet green taste spoon-soft, velvety leaf texture subtly buttery finish with mild bitterness

Kitchen Pairings

lemon vinaigrette grilled chicken feta cheese goat cheese bacon fat (or pancetta) croutons

Frequently Asked Questions


What’s a common pest or disease problem for Lactuca sativa (butterhead lettuce) like Mayan Jaguar, and how do I manage it?
A frequent issue is aphids, especially on new growth, which can stunt leaves and leave sticky honeydew. Rinse plants with a strong spray of water and, if needed, spot-treat with insecticidal soap, coating the undersides of leaves. Keep spacing airy and avoid overhead irrigation late in the day to reduce fungal leaf spots and lettuce downy mildew risk.
How often should I water Mayan Jaguar lettuce during its main growing phase?
During active leaf production (roughly weeks 2–6 after germination), keep the root zone evenly moist but not waterlogged. Water about 1–2 times per week, or more often in part-sun heat, so the top 1 inch of soil stays consistently damp. If you see wilting in the afternoon, irrigate sooner rather than waiting—lettuce turns bitter when it dries out.
How can I tell when Mayan Jaguar lettuce is ready to harvest?
Harvest when heads are firm and well-formed for butterhead types and the outer leaves feel crisp rather than floppy (about 55 days from sowing to harvest). For the best flavor, harvest in the morning and cut at the base just above the soil line. If you wait until leaves are overly stretched or the plant starts to bolt, bitterness increases and texture becomes less tender.