Dinosaur Kale (Brassica oleracea 'Lacinato')
BRASS-ih-kah oh-ler-AY-see-ah 'Lacinato'

Annual (usually grown as an annual near you) Upright in the Brassicaceae Family
A classic Italian heirloom kale, also known as Tuscan or black kale, grown for its long, narrow, deeply savoyed blue-green leaves. An open-pollinated variety that predates modern plant patents, it forms an upright plant well suited to repeated cut-and-come-again harvest, with leaves that hold up well and sweeten after a light frost.

Pros

  • Sweetens and improves in flavor after light frost
  • Long harvest window with repeated cut-and-come-again picking
  • Reliable, easy-to-grow heirloom with no patent restrictions
  • Attractive, textured foliage adds interest to the vegetable garden

Cons

  • Taller, more upright habit needs more vertical space than compact kales
  • Susceptible to cabbage worms, loopers, and flea beetles
  • Can turn bitter and bolt in hot weather
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 24 - 36 inches tall. 18 - 24 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium
Zones 2a - 11b (Usually hardy to -50° F)
Tags Annual, Annual in Chicago, Attracts Pollinators, Deciduous, Edible Foliage, Edibles, Fall Annuals, Full Sun, Grown as Annuals, Grown For Attractive Foliage, Medium, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Popular For Fall, Vegetables
Bloom Period Rarely flowers (grown as annual foliage)
Flower Color
 

Most Popular Plants

Commonly Planted with...

Pairs well with other cool-season edibles like chard and lettuce in a fall vegetable bed.

Photos of This with...

Harmony Plus White Begonia, Pigeon Purple F1 Kale, Water's Edge Caladium,
 
Want More photos of this plant? Try Google Image Search!
 


Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 08/10 - 10/04
2024 : 09/05 - 10/05
2023 : 08/16 - 09/10

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


Estimated Recipe Cost

The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.


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To secure the best prices for club members and make sure we know the current plants available from each nursery, we take orders only a couple of times a month.

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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!