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Collards

Brassica oleracea var. viridis

A big-leafed Southern green in the cabbage family. Collards handle both heat and frost better than kale, so in Florida they can grow most of the year, and a single planting yields for months.

Growing facts

Scientific name
Brassica oleracea var. viridis
Origin
Eastern Mediterranean
Plant size
2–3 ft plants with large, flat leaves on a thick stem
Growth rate
Medium to fast
Sun
Full sun; tolerates part shade
Soil
Rich, moist soil with compost
Soil pH
6.0–7.5
Pollination
Not needed for leaves
Cold hardiness
Takes hard frost, often into the teens °F; sweeter after it. Also tolerates heat better than most cabbage relatives.
USDA zones
Cool-season annual in all zones; grows nearly year-round in 9–10
Harvest
55–75 days from transplant
When to plant (zones 9–11)
Jan, Feb, Mar, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov
When to plant (zones 5–8)
Mar, Apr, Jul, Aug
Water
About every 3 days once established, without rain; more in heat, in pots and while young
Feeding
About every 21 days
Taste
Mild, earthy and slightly bitter; mellow and rich when slow-cooked
Nutrition
Very high in vitamins K and A, with calcium and fiber

Is collards safe to eat? Edible and toxic parts

What you can eat

  • Leaves, cooked or sliced thin and raw
  • Flower shoots, cooked

Toxic parts and cautions

  • Take care: Very high in vitamin K. People on warfarin don't need to avoid it, but should eat about the same amount from week to week and tell their doctor about big changes.

Pets: Small amounts of cooked collards are fine for dogs. Large amounts can cause gas and stomach upset.

How to eat and enjoy collards

  • Southern collard greens slow-cooked with smoked meat or onion
  • Couve à mineira, thin-sliced and sautéed (Brazil)
  • Raw leaves as wraps
  • Sukuma wiki with tomatoes and onion (East Africa)

When it's ripe

Pick lower leaves once they're 10 in or so, while still tender. Keep the top growing for months of harvests.

Storing it

Refrigerate unwashed in a bag for up to a week. Blanch and freeze for longer.

Collards varieties (5)

  • Champion

    An improved, compact Vates-type collard.

    Slow to bolt; holds well into spring.

  • Georgia Southern · also Georgia, Georgia Southern Creole

    A classic Southern heirloom collard with big blue-green leaves.

    Tolerates heat and poor soil.

  • Morris Heading

    A collard that forms loose heads.

    Quick-growing.

  • Top Bunch

    A fast, uniform hybrid collard with savoyed leaves.

    Good heat tolerance.

  • Vates

    A compact, dark-green collard that's slow to bolt.

    Cold-hardy.

Pests and diseases to watch for

  • Scale insects

    Small bumps, waxy or shell-like, on stems and leaf veins; sticky honeydew and black sooty mold below.

    What to do: Scrub small colonies off with a soft brush.

  • Mealybugs

    White cottony clusters in leaf joints, under leaves and on fruit stems; honeydew and sooty mold.

    What to do: Blast off with a strong spray of water.

  • Aphids

    Clusters of tiny soft insects on new shoots; leaves curl and get sticky.

    What to do: Spray off with water.

  • Sooty mold

    Black, papery film on leaves and fruit that wipes off; it grows on honeydew.

    What to do: Control the insects making honeydew; the mold then weathers away.

  • Spider mites

    Fine pale speckling on leaves, dusty undersides and fine webbing; leaves bronze and drop.

    What to do: Hose the undersides of leaves.

Growing collardses? Let Gardyn keep track.

Gardyn tells you when your collards needs water based on your local weather, reminds you to feed and prune in season, and keeps every harvest and photo.

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General guidance, not medical or veterinary advice. Poison Control (US): 1-800-222-1222. ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435.