KALE Seeds, Red Russian

Red Russian Kale (Brassica napus 'Red Russian') is an heirloom, open-pollinated kale with flat, oak-shaped blue-green leaves and purple-red stems and veins. Tender and sweet, it is excellent young in salads or mature for cooking.

At a glance

• Botanical name: Brassica napus 'Red Russian'
• Type: Heirloom, open-pollinated kale
• Plant height: 12 to 18 inches
• Sun: Full to partial sun (4 to 6 hours)
• Soil: Nutrient-rich, well-drained
• Temperature: Cool-season, 60 to 75F

Best for

• Baby-leaf salads
• Smoothies and saute
• Soups and braises
• Spring, fall, and overwintering gardens

How to grow

Sow in early spring or late summer in nutrient-rich, well-drained soil and full to partial sun. Keep moisture consistent for tender leaves. Harvest outer leaves young for salads or let them mature for cooking, leaving the center to keep producing. Flavor sweetens after frost.

Flavor profile

Mild, sweet, and tender, with the flat leaves staying gentler than curly kales and sweetening further in cool weather.

About 99Heirlooms

99Heirlooms is a seed company devoted to heirloom and open-pollinated varieties, giving home gardeners dependable seeds with the character and heritage of generations past.

Sold by 99Heirlooms.com, based in Saint Paul, Minnesota.