Nero di Toscana Kale (Brassica oleracea 'Nero di Toscana')
BRASS-ih-kah oh-ler-AY-see-ah 'Nero di Toscana'
Annual
(usually grown as an annual near you)
Upright in the Brassicaceae Family
Buy Nero di Toscana Kale
Size
Notes
Price
Availability
A classic Italian heirloom kale with long, deeply blistered, near-black leaves — as striking in the garden as it is on the plate.
Nero di Toscana — also sold as Dinosaur Kale or Lacinato — is a traditional Tuscan heirloom prized for its long, narrow, deeply savoyed leaves in a dramatic blue-green to near-black color. Unlike curly kale types, its leaves stay flatter and more strap-like, with a crinkled, almost reptilian texture that gives the plant its common nickname. Sweetness improves after a light frost, and the tall, upright plants hold their color and form well into cool weather, making them as useful for fall garden structure as they are for the kitchen.
Pros
Dramatic, dark blue-green to near-black savoyed leaves
Sweeter flavor after a light frost
Tall, upright habit adds structure to fall beds and containers
Reliable, easy-to-grow heirloom with a long harvest window
Cons
Can bolt and turn bitter in sustained summer heat
Prone to cabbage worms, aphids, and flea beetles like other kales
Narrow leaf form yields less per plant than broader-leaved kale types
Highlights
A Tuscan heirloom also known as Dinosaur or Lacinato Kale, grown for its long, blistered near-black leaves — equally valued as a cold-hardy culinary green and a striking, upright accent in fall plantings.
Plant Data
Mature Size
24 - 36 inches
tall. 18 - 24 inches
wide.
Growth Rate
Moderate
Sun Exposure
Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance
Medium : Prefers consistently moist soil; leaf quality and flavor suffer if it's allowed to dry out.
Zones
2a - 11b
(Usually hardy to -50° F)
Tags
Annual, Annual in Chicago, Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Wildlife, Container, 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)
Foliage Color
Commonly Planted with...
Mums, ornamental peppers, pansies, and other cool-season annuals; also pairs well with other vegetables in a kitchen garden bed.
We try very hard to source exactly what you’d like, but sometimes growers run out of plants! While this variety is a great deal at the price shown, we know that it has limited availability. If you want the plant even if it might be more expensive, or in a different size or quantity -- after you place your order, just send us a quick note at help@northshoreplantclub.com. Then, we’ll try to get you some version of this from one of our growers. And if we can’t get it from anywhere, of course, we’ll send a refund!
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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About Ordering From The Plant Club
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.
Shoot us an email at help@northshoreplantclub.com, and we'll be happy to talk about plants or let you know when it's time to buy them!
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!
North Shore Plant Club
