Pigeon Red Kale (Brassica oleracea 'Pigeon Red')
BRASS-ih-kah oh-ler-AY-see-ah 'Pigeon Red'
Annual
(usually grown as an annual near you)
Rosette in the Brassicaceae Family
Buy Pigeon Red Kale
Size
Notes
Price
Availability
Vibrant, deep red leaves and unique rosette shape, this ornamental kale enhances your fall garden.
'Pigeon Red' is part of the Pigeon series of ornamental flowering kale bred by Takii & Co., which also includes Pigeon Purple, Pigeon White, and Pigeon Victoria Pink. It forms a dwarf, compact, uniformly round head of slightly wavy leaves, with deep red inner leaves surrounded by medium-to-dark green outer leaves.
Like other ornamental kales, its color intensifies rather than fades as the weather cools — leaves color up most vividly once nighttime temperatures drop into the 50s°F, and the display often looks its best after the first light frosts. It's grown as a cool-season annual for fall and winter container and bedding displays, not for eating, and holds its color and form well into winter in milder climates.
Pros
Compact, uniform rosette with a striking deep red center that reads well from a distance
Color intensifies in cold weather instead of fading, extending the display into winter
Tolerates light frost, often outlasting summer annuals in fall beds
Cons
Cool-season only — declines quickly in sustained summer heat
Bred for ornamental display, not flavor; not typically eaten
Usually discarded after hard freezes rather than overwintered
Highlights
A Takii-bred ornamental kale with a vivid deep red center that deepens in color through fall and winter.
Plant Data
Mature Size
8 - 12 inches
tall. 12 - 14 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
Bloom Period
Rarely flowers (grown as annual foliage)
Commonly Planted with...
Pansies, violas, mums, ornamental peppers, and the other Pigeon series colors (Purple, White, Victoria Pink) for a mixed fall display.
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!
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