The following rundown helps you pick the best kale punch in for your garden or container-grown plants.
Botanically, kale belongs to two different species:
Below are 21 different varieties of kale.
If you are intent onsaving the seeds, verify to pick an open-pollinated variety.
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In seeds catalogs, hybrid varieties are also identified as F1.
Tip
All kale varieties are more or lessgrown the same way.
There are also considerable size differences between the varieties.
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Some varieties give you the flexibility to grow them for baby leaves as well as large, mature leaves.
The plants are upright and compact, so they are also suitable for growing in containers or raised beds.
The plants are slower to bolt in summer.
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The stems are a pretty purple-red, and the colors intensify in cold weather.
The stems form a striking contrast with the frilly green foliage.
This variety is bolt-resistant.
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In areas with moderately cold winters, you’ve got the option to keep harvesting all winter long.
There is also a Dwarf Siberian variety that only grows 16 inches tall.
It is open-pollinated and often grown together with Red Russian kale.
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It can be continuously harvested during the summer and the leaves will grow back.
Black Magic is an open-pollinated variety.
The plant is slow to bolt.
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The smoky-blue leaves have purple midribs and purple-pink veins whose color intensifies in cold weather.
The large, tender, rounded leaves with a sweet flavor resemble collard greens.
The leaves are tender and the ribs are easy to remove.
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The variety dates back to the early 1800s.
Perennial Kale (Brassica oleracea var.
ramosa)
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A rare find in the kale category is perennial kale.
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It is grown both for its ornamental variegated leaves and its nutty taste.
It is hardy in USDA zones 6-9 and can live up to five years.
It blooms in the summer, but for the best flavor, harvest the leaves in cold weather.
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Its large leaves do better in hot weather than other varieties.
This hybrid has large, waxy leaves that form a loose large head.
Unlike other kale varieties, it only tolerates mild frost.
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Another plus is its excellent cold-hardiness.
This variety also has improved tolerance to cold and wind.
The stemless stalks quicky grow new leaves after harvesting.
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All these qualities have made this variety a 2016 AAS winner.
The red frilly leaves turn purple in cold weather.
Harvest individual leaves, or wait and cut the whole plant when it reaches maturity.
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The mild flavor of the leaves gets only better when they have been exposed to some fall frosts.
The plants are short and compact so they can also be grown in containers and raised beds.
Shoppers Guide to Pesticides in Produce, Environmental Working Group
Brassica oleracea (Acephala Group).
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North Carolina State University Extension Service,
Brassica napus (Pabularia Group).
North Carolina State University Extension Service.
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