Types of Swiss Chard

Types of Swiss Chard

Table of Contents

• Common Swiss Chard Types
• Colorful Swiss Chards
• White-Stalked Swiss Chards
• FAQ About Types of Swiss Chard

Growing Swiss chard in your home garden provides you a bountiful supply of leafy, cool-weather greens. Planting them can even beautify your space, showcasing bright colors of orange, purple, and red, from their colorful stalks.

A close member of the beet family, Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) has nutritious leaves with differing textures, depending on the variety. Other names for Swiss chard include beet spinach, leaf beet, perpetual spinach, and silver beet. This biennial plant can be enjoyed in a number of dishes and harvested early as baby greens.

Common Swiss Chard Types

Swiss chard is a leafy vegetable that can be categorized into two categories. The Flavescens group is characterized by their sizable, thick stems, which are often prepared separately for cooking separately. Leafier Swiss chards fall under the Cicla group, which can be used interchangeably with spinach. 

Heirloom and Hybrid Swiss Chards

Barese Dark Green Smooth Leaf, Bright Lights, Fordhook Giant, Large White Ribbed, Lucullus, Magenta Sunset, and Ruby Red are some of the most popular heirloom Swiss chards. A certain plant variety should be at least 40 to 50 years free from cross breeding to be considered heirloom. Due to their true-to-seed nature, heirloom varieties are exceptional for seed saving as they carry the same traits from the parent plant. These have been passed down from generation to generation among various ethnic, familial, or other social groups. Additionally, private institutions like seed companies and universities participate in maintaining certain Swiss chard seeds as heirlooms.

jo sonn//unsplash

Hybrid varieties are results of deliberate cross breeding between two Swiss chard varieties. Agriculturists can tweak and imbue certain traits into the new hybrid. Improvements on disease resistance, flavor, growth, pest resistance, size, yield, and other characteristics are possible among hybrid varieties.

Popular Swiss Chard Groupings

Read on to discover the many Swiss chard groupings by color, texture, flavor, geographic origin, culinary uses, disease resistance, and growing conditions. 

Types of Swiss Chard Stalk Colors

There's a rainbow of colors when it comes to Swiss chard stalks.

Swiss Chard Stalk Colors	Common Examples (Where to Buy)
Orange-Stalked Swiss Chards	Oriole Orange (True Leaf Market) Orange (True Leaf Market)
Pink- and Red-Stalked Swiss Chards	Cardinal (True Leaf Market) Fire Fresh (Territorial Seed Market) Flamingo (True Leaf Market) Intense (Territorial Seed Company) Magenta Sunset (True Leaf Market) Pink Lipstick (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Ruby Red (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market)
White-Stalked Swiss Chards	Barese Dark Green Smooth Leaf (True Leaf Market, Rare Seeds) Fordhook Giant (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market, Rare Seeds) Large White Ribbed (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Lucullus (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Lyon (Territorial Seed Company)
Yellow-Stalked Swiss Chards	Yellow (True Leaf Market)

Types of Swiss Chard Leaf Textures

When consumed raw, the savoy leaves of Swiss chards can add crunch and texture.

Swiss Chard Leaf Textures	Common Examples (Where to Buy)
Bumpy Swiss Chards	Cardinal (True Leaf Market) Fordhook Giant (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market, Rare Seeds) Lucullus (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Oriole Orange (True Leaf Market)
Flat and Curly Swiss Chards	Fire Fresh (Territorial Seed Company) Japanese Mountain Spinach (Rare Seeds) Japanese Umaina (True Leaf Market) Perpetual (Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Company, Rare Seeds)

Types of Swiss Chard Flavors

Generally, raw Swiss chards have a bitter, earthy flavor that slowly fades during cooking.

Swiss Chard Flavors	Common Examples (Where to Buy)
Bitter Swiss Chards	Fordhook Giant (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market, Rare Seeds) Lucullus (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Magenta Sunset (True Leaf Market) Orange (True Leaf Market) Pink Lipstick (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Ruby Red (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market)
Sweet and Mild Swiss Chards	Large White Ribbed (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Lyon (Territorial Seed Company) Perpetual (Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Company, Rare Seeds)

Types of Geographic Origins

The oldest record of Swiss chards can be traced back to the Canary Islands and Mediterranean regions.

Geographic Origins	Common Examples (Where to Buy)
European, and Mediterranean Swiss Chards	Barese Dark Green Smooth Leaf (True Leaf Market, Rare Seeds) Cardinal (True Leaf Market) Lucullus (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Perpetual (Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Company, Rare Seeds) Pink Lipstick (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Ruby Red (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Vulcan (Rare Seeds)
North American Swiss Chards	Fordhook Giant (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market, Rare Seeds) Magenta Sunset (True Leaf Market)
Asian Swiss Chards	Japanese Mountain Spinach (Rare Seeds) Japanese Umaina (True Leaf Market)

Types of Culinary Uses

Fresh Swiss chards can be used in salads, soups, stews, and stir-fry. Swiss chard leaves are commonly a substitute for other leafy greens: cabbage, kale, and spinach. You can also chop the stalks and steam or sauté them. 

Culinary Uses	Common Examples (Where to Buy)
Swiss Chards for Salads	Barese Dark Green Smooth Leaf (True Leaf Market, Rare Seeds) Ruby Red (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market)
Swiss Chards for Stir-fry	Japanese Mountain Spinach (Rare Seeds) Japanese Umaina (True Leaf Market) Large White Ribbed (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Lucullus (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Oriole Orange (True Leaf Market)
Swiss Chards for Boiling and Steaming	Fordhook Giant (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market, Rare Seeds) Lyon (Territorial Seed Company) Yellow (True Leaf Market)

Types of Disease Resistance

Some cultivars of Swiss chard are more resistant to disease than others. Plant diseases to watch out for include bacterial soft rot, cucumber mosaic virus, and powdery mildew.

Disease Resistance	Common Examples (Where to Buy)
Disease Resistant Swiss Chards	Fire Fresh (Territorial Seed Company)
Susceptible Varieties	Ruby Red (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market)

Types of Preferred Growing Conditions

Home gardeners with limited garden space should consider Swiss chard varieties suitable for container planting. A well-drained soil with a pH balance of anywhere between 6 and 6.4 is the most ideal when growing Swiss chard plants at home. 

Preferred Growing Conditions	Common Examples (Where to Buy)
Container Swiss Chards	Bright Lights (Territorial Seed Company, True Leaf Market) Fordhook Giant (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market, Rare Seeds) Lucullus (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Orange (True Leaf Market) Ruby Red (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market)
Field/Greenhouse Swiss Chards	Rainbow Mix (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Rainbow of Lights (Eden Brothers)

Popular Varieties of Colorful Swiss Chards

andria//flickr

These Swiss chard varieties can produce stems with varying colors. Apart from their culinary uses, these Swiss chards add beautiful pops of colors in your vegetable garden as ornamental plants.

Variety	Description	Days to Germination	Days to Maturity	Where to Buy
Bright Lights	Bright Lights Swiss chard is an All-America Selections winner from 1998. Expect crisp Swiss chard stems of varying colors from orange, pink, red, violet, white, and yellow. The savoy leaves can turn out either green or purple, and work well in recipes or as a garnish.	5 to 7 days	60 to 65 days	Territorial Seed Company
Colour Mix	This variety of Swiss chard provides diversely colored stems and tender leaves, adding a visual flare to your garden and meals. Colour Mix yields green-, red-, white-, and yellow-stalked Swiss chards with either green or red leaves.	7 to 14 days	60 to 65 days	Territorial Seed Company
Electric Neon Blend	The stalks in the Electric Neon Blend variety come in four colors: orange, pink, red, and yellow. The Swiss chard leaves from the Electric Neon Blend are consistently green.	5 to 7 days	60 to 65 days	Territorial Seed Company
Five Color Silverbeet	Also known as rainbow chard, the Five Color Silverbeet originated from Australia where it has been enjoyed for mild flavor and a colorful appearance. This variety is an excellent option for home gardening due to its uniformity, upright growth, and reliable crop.	14 to 21 days	60 to 65 days	Territorial Seed Company, Rare Seeds

Popular Varieties of White-Stalked Swiss Chards

jackmac34//pixabay

Most white-stalked Swiss chards tend to have light-to-dark green leaves that go well in soups, stews, and stir-fry.

Variety	Description	Days to Germination	Days to Maturity	Where to Buy
Barese Dark Green Smooth Leaf	This Italian heirloom provides tender texture and spinach-like sweetness when cooked. Barese Dark Green Smooth Leaf can be harvested as baby greens or allowed to mature until they reach the height of 7 to 12 inches.	14 to 21 days	30 to 50 days	True Leaf Market, Rare Seeds
Fordhook Giant	Known for its tall height and wide growth spread, Fordhook Giant is an heirloom Swiss chard that could be the next great addition to your vegetable garden. Highly productive, this variety can reach 22 to 27 inches tall with delicious savoy leaves and white stems.	7 to 14 days	50 to 60 days	Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market, Rare Seeds
Large White Ribbed	Another productive variety, Large White Ribbed Swiss chard can grow as tall as 26 inches under ideal conditions. You can grow them in containers and even harvest young sprouts as baby greens.	7 to 14 days	55 to 60 days	Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market
Lucullus	Lucullus is one of the best Swiss chard varieties you can grow at home. You can get exceptional crunchiness from the white stems and flavor similar to spinach from its green, savoy leaves.	7 to 14 days	50 to 55 days	Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market
Lyon	Dubbed as the best-tasting Swiss chard in Territorial Seed Company's trials, Lyon grows light green leaves, reaching up to 12 inches long.	7 to 14 days	50 to 55 days	Territorial Seed Company

FAQ About Types of Swiss Chard

Are beets and Swiss chard the same?

Swiss chards and beets are not botanically the same, but share a close relation. Traditionally, Swiss chards are grown for their stems and leaves, while beets are cultivated for their root crop. 

Which Swiss chard varieties are excellent as microgreens?

If you're looking for a fresh addition to your salads, consider Swiss chard microgreens. Apart from their distinct flavors, certain varieties can provide beautiful colors to your meal. Swiss chard varieties like Barese Dark Green Smooth Leaf, Pink Lipstick, Rainbow Mixture, and Ruby Red are suitable for an early harvest as baby greens.

Originally published on Types of Swiss Chard

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