Tree Collards

MuddyBuckets · September 25, 2019

Does anyone have experience growing tree collards? Looks like an interesting garden addition and healthy way to have collards all year. Advice and comments appreciated.

Worth1 · September 25, 2019

Never heard of them, I hope someone has grown them.

MuddyBuckets · September 25, 2019

Tree Collard Cuttings offered on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Tree-Collard-.../dp/B01CPQVU3W

oakley · September 26, 2019

I'm growing them. I bought seeds this year. Still alive but only about 10inch plants
though I did start late and may try and overwinter.

My original post...http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ight=tree+kale

The walking stick cabbage, also known as tree kale, has been cultivated on the Isle of Jersey for centuries. This startling plant's thick stems can reach 7 feet in one growing season and up to 10 feet the second growing season, are turned into walking sticks for tourists. They have even been grown into sturdy roofbeams for thatched island cottages, plus providing fine edible greens the whole time. Proper name: Brassica oleracea longata 'Walking Stick'

ScottinAtlanta · September 26, 2019

Very cool. I think I will try them.

oakley · September 26, 2019

Your warmer winters are more promising than mine.
And I had no idea a kale/cabbage
would successfully grow from cuttings. who knew.

Jeannine Anne · March 28, 2020

I have grown Walking Stick Kale, just as a curiousity and it did grow very very tall. I had it on a community garden some years ago and left it there.It looked like a plam tree

GoDawgs · March 29, 2020

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeannine Anne

I have grown Walking Stick Kale, just as a curiousity and it did grow very very tall. I had it on a community garden some years ago and left it there.It looked like a plam tree

How was the flavor? And were the leaves about the same texture as regular kale or more tough?

Jeannine Anne · March 29, 2020

I am sorry but I didn't eat it, apart from a raw bit when if first greened up and I thought it was a tad strong compared to the others I grew,it was more like a Scottish kale.It was grown just as a curiosity really and as a friend gave me the seeds of course I had to grow one', the other little plnts I shared with others and thete were two or three still growing when I left.

It was interesting though and my rabbits loved the greens.It was about 7 feet when I last saw it.First year planted it,then it lost a lot of leaves in the winter, but the second year it regrew very well, the second winter it lost leaves again and I expected that was it but it had started to come back when I left there in April.

It seemed a very tough plant.

Not much info, the diameter of the trunk was about the same as a kwi fruit.

GoDawgs · March 30, 2020

Thnanks for the info. Boy, that's one tough plant to survive Canadian winters and keep on truckin'!

Jeannine Anne · March 30, 2020

GoDawgs, sorry, I didn't say but I was back in the in the East of England for 9 years and I grew it then, which I might add is actually tougher than the Pacific North West where I am now. So I know it would grow here in Coastal BC,just 20 minutes from the Washington border. So I think weather wise you will be fine.

habitat_gardener · March 31, 2020

I love tree collards! Have grown them at least a decade. In the SF Bay Area, they survived 20F at night for 2-3 days but were not happy. I think they are the best tasting kale, but are best cooked ( red Russian is my favorite raw kale). They need to be renewed every 3 years for best production, from cuttings, which are easy.

In central CA, they don’t seem as happy and I haven’t found the right place yet. Harlequin bugs and bagrada bugs love them too, unfortunately.

September 25, 2019	#1
MuddyBuckets Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Eastern/Coastal NC 8b Posts: 192	Tree Collards Does anyone have experience growing tree collards? Looks like an interesting garden addition and healthy way to have collards all year. Advice and comments appreciated.

September 25, 2019	#2
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Never heard of them, I hope someone has grown them.

September 26, 2019	#4
oakley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: NewYork 5a Posts: 2,303	I'm growing them. I bought seeds this year. Still alive but only about 10inch plants though I did start late and may try and overwinter. My original post...http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ight=tree+kale The walking stick cabbage, also known as tree kale, has been cultivated on the Isle of Jersey for centuries. This startling plant's thick stems can reach 7 feet in one growing season and up to 10 feet the second growing season, are turned into walking sticks for tourists. They have even been grown into sturdy roofbeams for thatched island cottages, plus providing fine edible greens the whole time. Proper name: Brassica oleracea longata 'Walking Stick'

September 26, 2019	#5
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	Very cool. I think I will try them.

March 28, 2020	#7
Jeannine Anne Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 1,553	I have grown Walking Stick Kale, just as a curiousity and it did grow very very tall. I had it on a community garden some years ago and left it there.It looked like a plam tree

March 29, 2020	#9
Jeannine Anne Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 1,553	I am sorry but I didn't eat it, apart from a raw bit when if first greened up and I thought it was a tad strong compared to the others I grew,it was more like a Scottish kale.It was grown just as a curiosity really and as a friend gave me the seeds of course I had to grow one', the other little plnts I shared with others and thete were two or three still growing when I left. It was interesting though and my rabbits loved the greens.It was about 7 feet when I last saw it.First year planted it,then it lost a lot of leaves in the winter, but the second year it regrew very well, the second winter it lost leaves again and I expected that was it but it had started to come back when I left there in April. It seemed a very tough plant. Not much info, the diameter of the trunk was about the same as a kwi fruit.

March 30, 2020	#10
GoDawgs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b Posts: 1,685	Thnanks for the info. Boy, that's one tough plant to survive Canadian winters and keep on truckin'!

March 31, 2020	#12
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	I love tree collards! Have grown them at least a decade. In the SF Bay Area, they survived 20F at night for 2-3 days but were not happy. I think they are the best tasting kale, but are best cooked ( red Russian is my favorite raw kale). They need to be renewed every 3 years for best production, from cuttings, which are easy. In central CA, they don’t seem as happy and I haven’t found the right place yet. Harlequin bugs and bagrada bugs love them too, unfortunately.