Chard, like other green leafy vegetables, has highly nutritious leaves, making it a popular swiss chard of healthy diets. Chard was first described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus as Beta vulgaris var. Its taxonomic rank has changed many times, so it was treated as a subspecies, convariety, or variety of Beta vulgaris.
The two rankless cultivar groups for chard are the Cicla Group for the leafy spinach beet, and the Flavescens Group for the stalky Swiss chard. The origin of the adjective “Swiss” is unclear, since this coastal plant is native to Sicily, not Switzerland. Clusters of chard seeds are usually sown, in the Northern Hemisphere, between June and October, depending on the desired harvesting period. Chard can be harvested while the leaves are young and tender, or after maturity when they are larger and have slightly tougher stems.
Harvesting is a continuous process, as most species of chard produce three or more crops. Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Cultivars of chard include green forms, such as ‘Lucullus’ and ‘Fordhook Giant’, as well as red-ribbed forms such as ‘Ruby Chard’ and ‘Rhubarb Chard’. The red-ribbed forms are attractive in the garden, but as a general rule, the older green forms tend to outproduce the colorful hybrids. Chard has shiny, green, ribbed leaves, with petioles that range from white to yellow to red, depending on the cultivar.
Chard is a spring harvest plant. In the Northern Hemisphere, chard is typically ready to harvest as early as April and lasts through May. It is one of the hardier leafy greens, with a harvest season typically lasting longer than kale, spinach, or baby greens. Fresh chard can be used raw in salads, stirfries, soups or omelets. The raw leaves can be used like a tortilla wrap. Larousse Gastronomique: The World’s Greatest Cooking Encyclopedia. Nutrition Facts and Analysis for Chard per 100 grams, USDA National Nutrient Database, version SR-21″.
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Republic of South Africa. Look up chard in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Please log in with your username or email to continue. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. How is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
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