6 Most Famous Types and Varieties of Kale

One of the highly nutritious vegetables is curly cabbage, kale or collard greens, currently very popular among the great variety of horticultural crops.

It has the scientific name of Brassica oleracea, from the Acephala Group and its original origin is from the western and southern regions of Europe.

But its antiquity dates back to 2,000 years ago, when in Asia it was used with great esteem in various dishes.It is highly requested in Galician cuisine.

Among its nutritional properties, two impressive facts stand out: it is richer in calcium than cow’s milk and has more protein than beef and vitamins of great importance such as A, C and K. It is very low in saturated fats, it provides manganese, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, iron, potassium.

It is easy to grow in any urban garden and several groups of collards or cabbage can be combined in the same space, in order to diversify production, giving it an attractive color on balconies, pots and terraces prepared to maintain ornamental crops.

They tolerate cold quite well. That is why they are planted in late summer and early fall and even in winter they can be planted with confidence.Among the different types of kale or curly cabbage, we have varieties of colors and very lucid shapes in crops.

But broadly speaking, they are grouped into these major divisions: green kale, purple, lacitano (also called Dinosaur in allusion to its rough texture) and Tuscan black kale.

In short, there are varieties of great commercial reputation, which reach about 40 cm and do not form a head or cabbage, but rather grow around a central trunk, so they are harvested leaf by leaf. Some of the best known varieties are the following:

Lacitano Kale or Tuscan Kale

To this group, which is also called Dinosaur Kale, correspond plants with sharp and long leaves, with a typical very dark blue – green coloration.

They are not soft when cooked, because they have a very hard texture similar to the skin of dinosaurs, full of bumps or bumps that do not give way easily when cooked.

Its bitter taste is not moderate but not intense either.

Tuscan Black Kale

It has long and somewhat narrow leaves, with a fairly dark bluish -green color. It does not taste as bitter as other types of cabbage and when cooked, it does not lose its firmness.

Red Russian Kale

It is characterized by having flat leaves with a very irregular shape, composed of reddish leaves with ribs in more accentuated shades of red and purple.

This variety comes with thin, long, irregular leaves that are reddish to purple in color with purple veins.

The flavor of this Kale is spicy, although it is considered one of the sweetest of all varieties.It is used in soup and with chips.

Kale Redbor

It has very curly red or dark purple leaves, very showy for any garden, so in addition to being a highly appreciated ingredient in the kitchen, it also lends itself to making sensational flower arrangements.

It is the most ornamental variety of all, thanks to the vivid colors of soft touch leaves, ranging from white to green and a striking purple that embellishes gardens.They also have an intense aroma.

green kale

There are different sub varieties, with shapes that can be rounded, wider, smooth and very curly, where the intensity of greenish tones varies, ranging from matte to very bright versions.

It is a variety that has dark green edges, with a bitter and spicy flavor at the same time.When the leaves are young, their taste is less bitter.They are ideal for smoothies, soups and baking.

Other Kale Varieties

There are other varieties of seeds of this important vegetable. Let’s take a look at what they are:

Premier Kale

It is a variety that grows quickly and is very supportive when stomach disorders occur.

Siberia

It has very resistant seedlings that withstand pests and intense cold.

Reed

It has a growth of up to about 2 meters.

Tuscan Cabbage

Its seedlings are wrinkled and it is really a very easy species to plant, because it does not require much care.