Scarlet Bor Kale (Brassica oleracea 'Scarlet Bor')
BRASS-ih-kah oh-ler-AY-see-ah 'Scarlet Bor'
Annual
(usually grown as an annual near you)
Rosette in the Brassicaceae Family
Buy Scarlet Bor Kale
Size
Notes
Price
Availability
A compact curly kale valued for its rosy-red to deep purple foliage, which intensifies with cooler fall temperatures.
'Scarlet Bor' is a compact, upright curly kale with crinkled, rose-to-deep-purple foliage that intensifies in color as temperatures cool. It's part of the Redbor/Winterbor lineage of bold-textured curly kales, sold primarily through the bedding-plant trade for fall displays.
While most retailers market it for its landscape and container appeal, its leaves are also edible and can be used in stir-fries, soups, or kale chips like other curly kale cultivars.
Pros
Vivid rose-purple color that deepens through fall
Compact, tidy habit well-suited to containers and borders
Edible as well as ornamental
Cons
Susceptible to common cabbage pests like worms, loopers, and flea beetles
Color intensity depends on cool weather -- less vivid in warm conditions
Grown as an annual; won't survive winter in most Chicago-area gardens
Highlights
A compact curly kale with vivid rose-to-purple foliage that deepens through fall, equally suited to containers, borders, and the kitchen.
Plant Data
Mature Size
16 - 18 inches
tall. 16 - 18 inches
wide.
Growth Rate
Moderate
Sun Exposure
Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance
Medium
Zones
2a - 11b
(Usually hardy to -50° F)
Tags
Annual, Annual in Chicago, Colorful Foliage, Container, Deciduous, Edible Foliage, Edibles, Fall Annuals, Fall Color, Full Sun, Grown as Annuals, Grown For Attractive Foliage, Medium, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Popular For Fall, Vegetables
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!