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James H. Schutte
Brassicaceae
Brassica oleracea 'Red Russian'( Acephala Group)
Kale
An exceptionally heat- and cold-tolerant kale, 'Red Russian' has large, lobed, uncrinkled leaves prized for their sweet tender flavor. Typically grown as an annual, kale is a cool season vegetable tracing its ancestry to Brassica oleracea, a fleshy-leaved, short-lived perennial from coastal areas of western and southern Europe.
This cultivar bears loose rosettes of thigh-high, gray-green leaves with purple veins and stems. In cool weather the leaves turn red-purple. Despite its relative heat tolerance, this cultivar may dwindle in heat and sometimes bolts, becoming lanky and producing sprays of four-petaled lemon yellow flowers on tall stems. Plants that overwinter often bloom in spring.
Grow 'Red Russian' in full to partial sun and fertile, organic-rich garden soil with ample drainage. Although tolerant of subfreezing temperatures, plants will perish in severe cold. Sow seeds in the chill of early spring, or in mid to late summer for a fall crop. Plants mature 50 to 60 days after sowing, although the tender young leaves can be harvested earlier for salads. Often achieving their best flavor after frost, the relatively tough, pungently flavored mature leaves are best steamed or sauteed rather than raw. Hot weather and bolting cause leaves to become bitter.
6 - 1
6 - 11
A1, A2, A3, H1, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Vegetable
Full Sun, Partial Sun
24"-30" / 61.0cm - 76.2cm
15"-20" / 38.1cm - 50.8cm
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Southern Europe, Western Europe, Mediterranean
Acidic, Neutral
Well Drained
Clay, Loam, Sand
Salt
Fast
Average Water
Rosette/Stemless
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Showy
Yellow
Brown
Purple, Gray Green
Yes
No
Single
Bold
Matte
Semi-Evergreen
Bedding Plant, Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Butterflies
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