Collard greens (Tuscan kale / Dinosaur kale / Palm tree kale)

Plant family

Crucifers (Brassicaceae)

Synonyms

Lacinato Kale, Cavolo Nero, Italian Kale, Flat Back Kale, Black Tuscan Palm

Season Overview

Details

Light requirement

Sunny

Water requirement

Very humid

Soil

Medium (loamy)

Nutrient requirement

High

Seeding distance

50 cm

Row spacing

50 cm

Seeding depth

1 cm

Instructions

Mid of July

Picking

Every two Weeks

Description

Palm cabbage is a variety of vegetable cabbage and belongs to the cruciferous family (Brassicaceae). It is most common in northern Germany, where it is known as the (East) Frisian palm. It owes this name to its growth. The arrangement of the blistered and slightly downward rolled leaves has a palmate appearance. The foliage leaves are dark green to black-green. It can be used in the same way as kale, and its taste is even somewhat finer and milder. However, it is not frost-resistant.

Growing tips

In the garden, you can grow your palm kale in larger pots or cultivate it entirely in them. This would make the plants mobile in case of frost, which palm kale can only tolerate to a limited extent. In the open, it is best to sow your palm kale after the Ice Saints in May. A place with direct sunlight suits it well. The development time is only about 70 days. Harvest the individual leaves from the bottom up, leaving the top rosette. This gives the palm kale its namesake shape. It also allows the plant to continue growing and reach great heights of up to 3 meters.