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uscjusto

help me identify mystery vegetable

uscjusto
10 years ago

I saw this growing in someone's front yard garden and was not sure what it was. Is it even an edible vegetable?

Can anyone help me identify it? It looks great to grow and eat. I've never seen a vegetable like this with such a long durable stem.

{{gwi:62607}}

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Comments (21)

  • mandolls
    10 years ago

    Looks like some kind of Kale to me. They have probably been harvesting the lower leaves as it grows.

  • pnbrown
    10 years ago

    A variety of Brassica, for pretty certain...

  • sunnibel7 Md 7
    10 years ago

    I'm also thinking kale, but the shiny leaves threw me off a bit. Is there something about your camera that makes all the leaves seem really shiny, or did it actually look like that?

  • justjohn
    10 years ago

    That's collard green. You can certainly eat that. Seasoned with a little bacon, salt and pepper. I believe it is kin to cabbage. The taste is very similar.

  • theforgottenone1013 (SE MI zone 5b/6a)
    10 years ago

    I think it's called Portuguese Kale.

    Rodney

  • woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
    10 years ago

    My guess is a type of Kale also, just not a typical curly leaf variety. Sunnibel's right though -- the shiny leaves throw me off too.

    Kevin

  • glib
    10 years ago

    I too vote for tronchuda.

  • uscjusto
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    The leaves were shiny in real life. Not a camera effect.

    I didn't know kale grew such a long stem even if you do harvest the outer/lower leaves.

  • pnbrown
    10 years ago

    Yes, strange leaves.

    Keep in mind that terms like "collard" (cole-wort) and "kale" (variant spelling of cole) are catch-all descriptors.

  • woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
    10 years ago

    You mean the STALK, right uscjusto? Yeah -- the stalk will get higher and higher as harvesting keeps continuing. Not high like brussels by any means, but a couple feet high before bolting, no problem.

    Kevin

  • denninmi
    10 years ago

    I believe it is 'Green Glaze' collard from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange - that variety has very glossy foliage.

  • farmerdill
    10 years ago

    I also vote for Portuguese kale. Many kales grow tall. Jersey kale can reach 15-20 feet. Green Glaze grows more like a cabbage.

    Green Glaze collard {{gwi:62609}}

    Here is a link that might be useful: Jersey kale

  • theforgottenone1013 (SE MI zone 5b/6a)
    10 years ago

    Since it was in someone's front yard you could knock on the person's door and ask what it is. I'm sure the person wouldn't mind telling you, gardeners are generally friendly folk. Then you can enlighten all of us as to what this mystery veggie is.

    Rodney

  • uscjusto
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Since it was in someone's front yard you could knock on the person's door and ask what it is. I'm sure the person wouldn't mind telling you, gardeners are generally friendly folk. Then you can enlighten all of us as to what this mystery veggie is.
    Rodney

    I'm shy and that would be too awkward to just knock on someone's door like that. Lol.

    I think everyone has narrowed it down to 2 guesses: Portugese kale or Green glaze.

  • pnbrown
    10 years ago

    FD, are you sure that your photo is GG? When I grew it the leaves were much glossier, closer to the OP photo, though I don't think that latter is quite right for GG either.

  • farmerdill
    10 years ago

    Yep. Ther are several variations of Green Glaze out there. Southern Exposure has one developed by Jeff McCormack which is also known as Cascade Glade. This one is a variation of the Original Landreth Green Glaze sold by Seeds by Design. The original was developed from the 19th century Green Glaze cabbage. It is shiny but a much lighter green. I have not grown McCormacks version, so it could be a possibilty if someone was harvesting from the bottom.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Cascade Glaze

  • uscjusto
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Farmerdill- your link to the cascade glaze looks spot on to the mystery veggie. I think we have a winner. I'm going to look into those seeds for my garden next year.

  • SamWright
    10 years ago

    Such a unique veggie..

  • Athenian
    10 years ago

    It's a "tree" collard -- no mystery at all. We have three plants (all at least 5 years old) in our backyard and eat the greens througout the year.

  • uscjusto
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Does not look like a tree collard to me.

  • pnbrown
    10 years ago

    Ok, interesting. I grew the SE version.

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