Contents
Hyperlinked cultivar names lead to photos and other information, based on my
experience of growing those cultivars on my alllotment.
The first section has entries for beetroot
cultivars in alphabetical order. Although I have tried to make this listing reasonably
comprehensive, it should be appreciated that new cultivars are continually being
introduced and old one dropped from seed catalogues. A shorter alphabetical
section on leaf beets follows the beetroot listing. Fodder beet and sugar beet are
usually only sold to commercial operations and are therefore not included. A listing
of selected seed suppliers is given at the end of the chapter.
Most beetroot grown today has globe or spherical shaped roots, for example,
Boltardy and Detroit. However, the first cultivated beetroot had long tapering
roots and this root shape is still grown, although mainly by amateur gardeners,
for example, Cheltenham Green Top and Long Red. Cylindrical, half-long or
intermediate varieties also include a number of heritage varieties, but their
slicing properties have made some cultivars popular for processing, for example,
Cylindra and Forono. The least common beetroot shape is flat, for example,
Crosby?s Egyptian.
The beetroot cultivars included range from the oldest heritage or heirloom varieties,
through a wide range of other open pollinated varieties, to modern F1 hybrids. Hybrids
have increased seedling vigour, improved growth characteristics, and resistance to bolting
and a range of diseases such as Cercospora. However, hybrids do not breed true
and seed must be purchased each year. Modern hybrids are usually globe-shaped
and have good, if predictable, taste characteristics. Heritage varieties
provide a diversity of root shapes, colour and flavours, and a range of
ornamental foliage. All the beetroot cultivars listed have multigerm seeds,
unless it is specified that they are monogerm.
Action
Albina Vereduna
Alvro Mono
Avenger
Avon Early
Barabietola di Chioggia
Bassano
Big Red
Big Top
Bikores
Blankoma
Bolivar
Blood Red
Bluto
Boltardy
Bonel
Bull's Blood
Burpee's Golden
Burpee Redhart
Burpee White
Cardenal
Carillon
Centurion
Chariot
Cheltenham Green Top
Cheltenham Monogerm
Chicago Red
Chioggia
Citation
Cook's Delight
Covent Garden
Crapaudine
Crimson Globe
Crimson King
Crosby Green Top
Crosby's Egyptian
Cylindra
Cyndor
Darko
Derwent Globe
Detroit
Detroit Bolivar
Detroit Crimson Globe
Detroit Dark Red
Detroit Globe 2
Detroit Little Ball
Detroit Lora
Detroit Short Top
Detroit Supreme
Detroit Tardel
Detroit Rubidus
Devoy
Dobbie's Purple
Doree
Dwergina
Early Blood
Early Bunch
Early Wonder
Early Wonder Staysgreen
Eastern Wonder
Egyptian
Formanova
Forono
Feuer Kugel
Garnet
Gladiator
Golden
Golden Beet
Green Top Bunching
Ivax
July Globe
Kestrel
King Red
Kugel
Libero
Little Ball
Long Blood Red
Long Red
Lutz Green Leaf
MacGregor's Favourite
Mammoth Long
Modella
Monaco
Moneta
Mono King Burgundy
Monogram
Monopoly
Moulin Rouge
Mr. Crosby's Egyptian
Nobol
Pablo
Preco
Pronto
Red Ace
Red Arrow
Red Ball
Red Dart
Red Bikores
Red Russian
Red Velvet
Redpack
Regala
Rocket
Roman Beet
Rosette
Rouge Crapaudine
Royal Delight
Royal Red
Ruby Queen
Sangria
Seneca Detroit
Smooth Crosby
Snowwhite
Solo
Sweetheart
Tall Top Early
Tardel
Tonda di Chioggia
White Devoy
Warrior
Wodan
Yellow Intermediate Mangel
Ukrainian
Bright Lights
Bright Yellow
Charlotte
Chilean Beet
Erbette
Fordhook Giant
Lucullus
Perpetual Spinach
Rainbow Chard
Rhubarb Chard
Ruby Red
Spinach Beet
Swiss Chard
Swiss Chard Bright Lights
Vulcan
eseeds (Canada) http://www.eseeds.com/
Chilterns Seeds, Bortree Stile, Ulveston, Cumbria LA12 7PB, UK.
Mr. Fothergill?s Seeds, Gazeley Road, Kentford, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 7QB, UK.
The Heritage Seed Library, Henry Doubleday Research Association (HDRA), Ryton, Coventry CV8 3LG, UK. (British heritage varieties)
E.W. King, Monk's Farm, Kelvedon, Colchester, Essex CO5 9PG, UK.
Nichols Garden Nursery, Albany, Oregon, USA.
The Organic Gardening Catalogue, Chase Organics, Riverdene Business Park, Molesey Road, Hersham, Surrey KT12 4RG, UK.
Plants of Distinction (UK) http://www.plantsofdistinction.co.uk
W. Robinson & Sons, Forton, Nr. Preston, Lancs. PR3 0BN, UK.
Suffolk Seeds, Monk's Farm, Essex, UK.
Sutton's Seeds, Woodview Road, Paignton, Devon TQ4 7NG, UK.
Thomas Etty Esq., 45 Forde Avenue, Bromley, Kent BR1 3EU, UK.
Thompson & Morgan, Poplar Lane, Ipswich IP8 3BU, UK, http://www.thompson-morgan.com
Thompson & Morgan USA, PO Box 1308. Jackson, New Jersey 08527-0308, USA.
Van Hage Garden Company, Great Amwell, Herts. SG12 9RP, UK (British and Dutch varieties)
Wehner, T.C. (1996) Vegetable Cultivar Descriptions for North America: Beets, Lists 1-26 Combined
(ed. I. Goldman), http://cuke.hort.ncsu.edu/cucurbit/wehner/vegcult/beet.html
Examples of beetroot wine, pasta, crisps and suchlike!
8. A Dictionary of Cultivated Varieties
A. Beetroot
Action is an F1 hybrid bred by Bejo-Zaden B.V.. It has globe-shaped roots with dark
red flesh and good resistance to bolting and disease. Action was introduced as a
multi-purpose beetroot.
Albina Vereduna, Albino Verduna or Albinia Verecunda is a globe-shaped beetroot with
smooth pale and thick skin, and pure white flesh. It is also sometimes called Albino, Albino White or
Snowhite. This is an old Dutch variety that has a particularly sweet and delicate flavour,
being sweeter than red beetroot, and a potato-like texture. It was one of the early beets grown for sugar production,
for example, in the USA, before modern sugar beet cultivars became available. The roots
are considerably smaller than those of modern sugar beet. Its nutrient-rich leaves are curled
and wavy, and make for good eating. It lacks pigment and so does not stain like red beetroot.
Albina Vereduna stores well in the ground, but is prone to bolting.
Alvro Mono is a recently introduced monogerm globe cultivar. Only one seed per seedball
germinates, reducing the need for thinning. The roots have fine hairs. Recommended for early cropping.
Avenger F1 is a recently introduced hybrid, bred by Harris Moran from germplasm held at
the University of Wisconsin, in the USA. It has a flattened globe shape, with tall glossy
tops. Avenger was bred for bunched and sale on the market as fresh greens and beetroot.
Avon Early or Avonearly is a globe-rooted British heritage variety. Grown organically at
the Henry Doubleday Research Association (HDRA) as an early season bunching crop. It has
good resistance to bolting.
See Chioggia.
Bassano is a cylindrical (half-long) beetroot. It is an heirloom Italian variety and
possibly descended from Roman Beet. Bassano was one of the first varieties to be cultivated
in the USA. It is ideal for producing uniform slices and has undergone a revival as a
processing beet within the food industry.
Big Red is a recent F1 globe hybrid, bred by W.H. Gabelman at the University of Wisconsin,
USA. It has bright-green glossy leaves, dark-red flesh and a high sugar content that gives
it a sweet flavour.
A globe beetroot grown in the USA. Bred and sold, since 1999, by Johnny's Selected Seeds.
Bikores or Red Bikores is a globe-shaped Dutch beetroot bred by Bejo-Zaden B.V. It has
well-developed tops and smooth-skinned red roots with dark-red flesh. It is suitable for
early sowing under cloches. It is resistant to bolting, grows quickly, and stores well.
Blankoma is a globe-rooted heirloom Dutch beetroot with ice-white flesh. The roots
are round or slightly conical, with a thick skin and a very sweet flavour. It is often claimed
that white-fleshed varieties taste better than red, especially by people with a sweet tooth,
although their colour may be less appealing. The leaves make good eating when cooked.
Bolivar is a maincrop globe cultivar, bred and marketed by Nunhems Zaden since 1989.
It is good for late season cropping and was bred specifically for preocessing. Bolivar has
well-developed tops and round uniform smooth-skinned roots, which are deep red
internally. It is resistnt to bolting. Bolivar is related to Detroit 2 Bolivar, which
are harvested as minibeets.
See Long Blood Red.
Bluto is a large globe beetroot, usually grown as a maincrop. It has deep red flesh with a fine
texture. Good storage properties.
Boltardy is a very popular and reliable globe-shaped beetroot. It was first introduced in
the early 1960s. Boltardy is a tried-and-tested cultivar, which is used as a yardstick
against which other beetroot are measured. Plant breeders, for instance, assess the
bolting resistance of new cultivars in comparison to it. Boltardy can be
sown early (March) due to its good resistance to bolting.
It has medium-sized and evenly-shaped globular roots, with smooth skin and deep red flesh. It has
a good texture, without visible zones or rings, and a fresh sweet flavour. It is often exhibited
and grows well in containers. In Australia, it may be known as Melbourne Early Slowbolt.
Bonel is a globe-rooted beetroot with good resistance to bolting. It has upright foliage, making
thinning and picking easier. It has smooth deep-red flesh, with little zoning or pith. It is
relatively high yielding and crops over a long period.
This globe-shaped beetroot was listed pre-1900 in England. It is probably the only
decorative-leafed Victorian beetroot variety surviving. It is mainly grown as an ornamental in gardens,
but is also good to eat. Its dark crimson leaves can appear almost black in some light, making
a dramatic contrast to most other foliage. The leaves are broader than other beetroot varieties and
have a particularly sweet taste when cooked. The medium-sized spherical roots are also dark red,
with visible rings when cut. They are tender and have a good flavour when young, although they
can become tough with age.
Burpee's Golden or Golden is a globe-rooted beetroot with distinctive gold-yellow flesh and
a golden-orange skin colour. It is North American in origin and has been grown since at least
the start of the nineteenth century. It was bred and introduced by the W. Atlee Burpee Company
of Warminster, Pennsylvania, USA. The roots have distinct darker rings when cut transversely.
The young leaves are bright green, being particularly good to eat when cooked and served like
spinach. Burpee's Golden is often grown mainly for its colour, but it is has a good flavour
that is just like red beetroot. It is best harvested when small, although it eats well even
when the roots get large. The flesh retains its distinctive colour when cooked, changing
slightly to a golden-yellow or deep yellow colour, and does not bleed like red beetroot. It
is recommended that this variety be sown a little thicker than normal because it has an
inherently lower germination rate. Modern golden-fleshed cultivars, such as Golden Beet, are
primarily derived from Burpee's Golden. These lines store well and are resistant to bolting.
Introduced by the W. Atlee Burpee Company,Pennsylvania, USA, in 1953. A flattened
globe beetroot selected from Crosby's Egyptian. Its roots are uniform in shape and dark-red
in colour.
Introduced by the W. Atlee Burpee Company,Pennsylvania, USA, in 1952. A white globe
beetroot, with rattail-like green tops and white-fleshed roots. Sweeter than red beetroot.
A globe-shaped beetroot, bred by Petoseed and introduced in 1978. It was selected
from a line of Ruby Queen. Cardenal has tops around 30 cm tall, and smooth-skinned roots that
lack fibre or zoning and have bright dark-red flesh.
A cylindrical, long-rooted cultivar with dark red flesh colour. It has good resistance to
bolting and can be sown early. Carillon has smooth skin and is good for slicing.
A globe cultivar bred by Seminis Vegetable Seeds-Petoseed and introduced in 1999. It
has been grown in the USA and France. Similar to Little Ball (Detroit), it is early maturing,
with well-developed tops and blood-red flesh. The roots do not bleed to the same extent as
most other red beetroot.
Chariot is an F1 hybrid, introduced by Seminis Vegetable Seeds-Petoseed in 1999. It has
upright foliage for bunching and uniform globe-shaped roots with blood-red flesh. It is late
maturing and similar to Red Ace. It has been grown in several northern states of the USA.
Cheltenham Green Top or Cheltenham Greentop is one of the most popular long-rooted
beetroot cultivars grown today. It is an old variety, which has been around since well
before the 1880s in England. Cheltenham Green Top has long deep-purple tapering roots with
a conical crown. It has a lower germination rate than most beetroot. The roots can reach
15 cm in circumference and 23 cm in length. The skin is rough and the flesh has a slightly
coarse texture, but an excellent flavour. It stores well. The cooked roots are bright root
and good for slicing.
A modern long-rooted monogerm, bred from Cheltenham Green Top. It is resistant to bolting
and requires little thinning.
Long-rooted cultivar bred by W. Atlee Burpee Company. It has purple-red flesh that is
particularly sweet.
Chioggia or Barabietola di Chioggia is a globe-shaped heirloom Italian variety, with a
slightly flattened shape. It was described by the 1840s and originated from market gardens
around Venice. It is also sold under a range of other names, including or Tonda di Chioggia,
Chioggia Pink or dolce di Chioggia. It has a rosy or orange-pink outer skin, with a distinctive
dartboard pattern when cut transversely. For this reason it is sometimes known as Bull's Eye Beet
or Candy Stripe Beet. Bands of white flesh alternate with
bands of pink or rosy red. The pattern tends to fade toward a soft pink when cooked. It has
attractive dark-green leaves with ruby-red stems that have a mild flavour when raw or cooked.
Chioggia is grown today mainly for its unusual colouring, but it has a mild and sweet flavour.
The flavour is not to everyone's taste. Some say it is delicious, others insipid. They are best
eaten when young. Modern lines are resistant to bolting.
Citation is a globe cultivar introduced in the early 1960s by the Northrup King
Company, Minneapolis, USA. It has bright-green tops, and small, very smooth and round roots,
that are suited for shipping over distance.
Cook's Delight is a heritage cylindrical (half-long) beetroot, with roots having a
characteristic tankard shape. It has very dark red leaves and, in the past, was often
grown as an ornamental. The roots are best when picked small and eaten young, although
they store well and retain a good flavour when mature.
Covent Garden is a globe-rooted English heritage variety. It is cultivated at the
HDRA in England.
The long-rooted Crapaudine or Rouge Crapaudine is one of the oldest known beetroot
varieties. It is from France, where it is also known as Betterave Rouge Ecorce au
Crapaudine. In English, it has also been called Rough-skinned Beetroot or Red Beetroot. It
appears in a number of seed catalogues around 1890, but was known for many years before
this. It is distinctive due to its almost black pock-marked and rough skin, which
is broken by small cracks and crevices. It has long irregularly-formed roots, which are
sometimes described as misshapen. The flesh is red, firm and sweet. It crops late in
the season and can be sown to harvest late in the autumn or early winter in areas with
a milder climate, such as southern France.
See Detroit Crimson Globe.
A Detroit-derived medium to large globe cultivar.
Bred from Crosby's Egyptian and introduced in 1951 by the Joseph Harris Company,
of Rochester in the state of New York, USA. It has well-developed green tops that
can thrive under adverse conditions.
Crosby's Egyptian or Mr. Crosby's Early Egyptian is an American introduction that
was first recorded growing near Boston around 1869. The seed was introduced to the
market around 1880. It may have been bred from Egyptian beetroot earlier in the seventeenth
century, but it is distinct from Egyptian Flat or Turnip-rooted Egyptian. Crosby's
Egyptian, however, shares with this variety rapid early season growth and a resistance
to bolting. The smooth-skinned roots are thicker and rounder than Egyptian beetroot, being a flattened
heart shape. The glossy-green tops form abundant
greens. Early Wonder, a very popular variety in the USA, was bred from Crosby's Egyptian.
Cylindra is a cylindrical (half-long or stump-rooted) beetroot. It is an old Danish
variety; recorded by 1840 and widely grown by 1880. The tops are small and matte reddish-green
in colour. The red carrot-like roots are tapered, with a blunt cylinder
shape, and are smooth-skinned with dark purple-red flesh. The roots grow 15 to 20 cm (6-8 inches)
long, with up to half of their length above ground. Cylindra has tender flesh,
with a sweet flavour. The roots are ideal for cutting into uniform slices
(it is sometimes called Butter Slicer). It matures a little more slowly than
globe-shaped beetroot, but because of its cylindrical root shape can be
closely planted to give high yields within small areas. It is best watered regularly
to avoid bolting and root hollowness. It is tolerant of downy mildew. Cylindra stores
well over winter. Some listings erroneously consider Cylindra and Formanova to be the same variety.
Cyndor is a cylindrical cultivar, with mid-green matte foliage, and red blunt-cylinder
roots having dark-red flesh. It is tolerant to bolting and resists curved root.
A globe cultivar, bred by the French-based Vilmorin company. It has bright-red
flesh and good resistance to bolting.
Derwent Globe is a globe-shaped dark-red beetroot. It was developed by the Yates
company, as Derwentside in Tasmania in the 1920s. Grown by gardeners in Australia.
Detroit or Detroit Globe is a flattish globe-rooted beetroot with dark red roots.
It has been popular since its first introduction in the 1890s. Modern lines of Detroit
include Detroit Dark Red, Detroit Short Top, Detroit Globe, Crimson Globe, Crimson Ball,
Crimson King and Ruby Ball. The D.M. Ferry Seed Company first introduced Detroit in 1892,
in the state of Michigan, USA. It was bred from a variety described as an
early maturing European Blood Turnip (Long Red). Today, Detroit is one of the
most popular varieties grown commercially and in gardens in the USA. It is
a good maincrop beetroot for late season, with mature roots that store well,
while also being good as a summer crop with its roots harvested young. It may go under
different names as a winter and summer crop. The tops are short and grow thickly. The
leaves have red veins and are good to eat when young. The roots are smooth-skinned and
bright purple-red when cooked, with a sweet flavour. Its large symmetrical roots are
popular with exhibitors. In addition to being a popular fresh market variety in the USA,
it is one of the beetroot most commonly used for processing, especially canning. Modern
lines are moderately tolerant of Cercospora leaf spot and downy mildew. A number
of distinct cultivars and hybrids have been bred from the original Detroit stock, some of
which are listed below.
Detroit 2 Bolivar or Bolivar is a golf ball sized baby beet, with tender flesh. It is
resistant to bolting.
Detroit 2 Crimson Globe or rote r?s a popular improved Detroit globe beetroot with a
rich maroon colouring. It is recommended as a good cultivar to use for succession sowings.
See Detroit.
A globe beetroot, bred from Detroit, and recently introduced by Sutton's Seeds, England. It
has dark-crimson roots having good texture.
Detroit 2 Little Ball is a smooth-skinned baby or mini-beet. It has dark red flesh with
distinct pale rings. It is ideal for pickling. Little Ball is fast-growing, resistant to
bolting, and a good for late sowing and storing.
Detroit 2 Lora is an early maturing and high-yielding globe-shaped beetroot.
See Detroit.
Detroit 2 Supreme is a medium-sized globe beetroot, introduced in the 1980s by the Alf
Christianson company. The smoothed-skinned dark-red roots have no visible internal zoning. Bred
from Detroit Dark Red and tolerant to fungal diseases.
Detroit 2 Tardel is a mini or baby beet cultivar with spherical and golf ball sized roots
and tender flesh. It has good tolerance to bolting and can be sown early. It is ideal for
pickling or freezing.
Detroit 6 Rubidus is a recent F1 hybrid, bred to be have virtually no bolting. It can
be harvested a week earlier than Boltardy. Bred by Thompson and Morgan (England), it has a
firm smooth skin and deep red fibreless flesh.
Devoy is a British heritage variety (not on registered seed lists). It has long roots
and red foliage. The roots have sweet dark-pink flesh. It remains tender even when grown
large. The roots store well over winter. A white form (White Devoy) has been bred from
Devoy, having broad irregular long roots with pure white flesh.
Dobbie's Purple is a heritage variety with long tapering roots that can be eaten when
fully mature. It was first bred by the Dobbies seed company, in England, in the early 1900s.
It is still available through the Henry Doubleday Research Association's Heritage Seed
Library. The foliage and roots are purple and it can grow very large.
Doree is a traditional golden-fleshed globe variety. It has a very sweet flavour and
smooth texture when cooked. Doree is good for pickling.
Dwergina is a small globe variety. It has a deep red flesh-colour and is good for pickling.
Early Blood is a long turnip-shaped beetroot that is a heritage variety from the
USA, dating back to at least 1825. It has dark red flesh, with occasional pink
patches, and a sweet flavour.
Early Bunch is a globe variety with deep red flesh. It has very good bolting resistance.
A good early-season crop, although less successful as a main or late crop.
Early Wonder or Early Wonder Tall Top is a globe beetroot, with large thick
roots having a slightly flattened globe shape. It is a North
American introduction that was described around 1880, but it was probably first
introduced much earlier in the seventeenth century than this in the USA. Its origins are
linked to Crosby's Egyptian beetroot, although, like Crosby's Egyptian, its main
connection to Egyptian beetroot (below) is that it also matures early in the summer. It
is less highly coloured than Egyptian and most other varieties of beetroot. Early Wonder
remains very popular in the USA. The leaves are bright dark-green with red stems and
the tops are abundant and tall. The greens of this variety are tender and are particularly
good to eat. It has good resistance to bolting and is good for both early sowing and
as a maincrop. Early Wonder grows relatively quickly in cool soils, in spring or autumn,
and is popular as a general use beetroot.
A globe cultivar bred by the Northrup King Company in the early 1960s, from a selected
line of Early Wonder. It has improved leaf colour and tops that stay green longer
than other cultivars during cool weather.
Eastern Wonder is a flattened globe cultivar, introduced in the USA in 1953 by the Eastern States
Farmers Exchange of Massachusetts. It is similar to Early Wonder, but adapted to sandy loam soils.
Egyptian, Egyptian Flat Rooted or Egyptian Turnip Rooted beetroot is an old variety, with
a variable root shape. It was first described in the early 1800s and was common in seed
catalogues from 1870. The type originated in Egypt. In France, it is known as Betterave
Rouge Noir Plate d'Egypte. It is quick growing, very early maturing, and resistant to
bolting. It is good for early summer salads. Egyptian beetroot has large, often heart-shaped
roots with deep red flesh. It is recommended for shallow soils and cold frames, and can be
grown closer together than most heritage varieties because it does not develop a large
top. Egyptian is particularly good eaten raw, for instance, grated in salads.
Formanova is a cylindrical (half-long) cultivar, bred by L. Daehnfeldt, of Odense in
Denmark. It was introduced to the market in 1963. Formanova is a popular cultivar in
Scandinavia. It has dark-red sweet-tasting flesh, with little zoning. Formanova
is excellent for processing (canning and freezing) and can be cropped late in the
season. It is similar to Cylindra and is sometimes referred to as Cylindra Formanova.
Forono is a medium to long, tankard-shaped, cylindrical (half-long) beetroot that
has a good flavour and yields well. The shoulders of the roots
can push up above ground level. Soil can be pushed back against the root to
keep a smooth skin. When cooked, Forono produces uniform dark-red slices. It stores
well and is good for processing (canning and pickling). It is susceptible to bolting,
so is best sown from mid-summer onwards. It has a full, rounded "earthy" beetroot flavour.
This long-rooted red beetroot originates in Switzerland. It is smooth-skinned, and
stays tender and sweet to maturity. Feuer Kugel is now a relatively rare cultivar.
Generally considered to be distinct from the more popular Kugel cultivar.
A globe cultivar bred by Pieters-Wheeler Seed Compamy, California, USA, and released
in 1964. It is similar to Detroit Dark Red, with smooth-skinned roots that have
very dark red flesh and little zoning.
A globe cultivar, introduced in the 1970s by the Northrup King Company. Similar to Ruby Queen.
See Burpee's Golden.
See Burpee's Golden.
Green Top Bunching is a somewhat flattened globe beetroot, introduced by the
Ferry-Morse Company, California, USA, around 1940. It has short tops having
abundant green red-veined leaves that retain their colour during cool weather. The
leaves make good eating when cooked and hold their
colour well. The roots are dark-red, sweet and tender when cooked. This is used as
a general purpose cultivar, which can be sown into late July for an autumn harvest. It
is resistant to powdery mildew.
Ivax is a globe monogerm hybrid, bred and sold since 1991 by Nunhems. It has upright
foliage and roots with red-red flesh.
A red globe-shaped beetroot dating from the 1930s. It is rare today.
Kestrel is an F1 hybrid globe beetroot introduced by Alf Christianson in the USA. It has
bright green foliage, and roots with a dark-red flesh and high sugar content. It is
tolerant to a range of fungal diseases.
A globe cultivar introduced by the Northrup King Company, Minneapolis, in the USA
in 1952. It was bred from a line of Detroit. King Red has short tops, rounder roots and
smoother crowns than Detroit, and is adapted to peat and high nitrogen soils.
A Detroit-derived globe beetroot, grown as a maincrop. The roots are a deep red colour
and they are said to store well.
A recent Dutch introduction, this smooth-skinned globe-shaped beetroot has good
resistance to bolting and is suitable for early sowing. The roots are crimson or
dark-red. Libero also matures rapidly and is a good maincrop for winter storage.
It is fast growing and high yielding.
See Detroit Little Ball.
Long Blood Red or Long Red is an American beetroot with a long deeply-buried
root, which is prone to forking. Vilmorin described it in 1885. It has dropped off approved
seed lists, but is still available as an heirloom or heritage variety.
See Long Blood Red.
A globe heirloom variety with light-green glossy foliage, with pink midribs, and
half-long roots having
purple flesh. Can grow large and retain good beetroot sweetmes and texture.
Good for late season cultivation and winter storage. It is tolerant
to bolting and fungal diseases.
An old Scottish heirloom variety with long tapering roots that have distinct rounded
shoulders. The leaves are narrower (spear-shaped) than for most beetroot, being excellent
to eat and shiny-red in colour, curving outwards in a sickle-like shape from the crown.
MacGregor's Favourite
has often been grown as an ornamental. The roots are deep-red, with good texture and flavour.
Mammoth Long is a long-rooted beetroot, with smooth skin, very dark red flesh
and a sweet flavour. It is available from W. Robinson & Sons, located near Preston in England.
A recently introduced monogerm red globe cultivar. No thinning required. Good bolting resistance.
A globe mini-beet that is harvested young.
Moneta is a modern monogerm globe beetroot. It has good resistance to bolting, and
therefore can be sown early. It needs no thinning, because each seedball only produces one
plant. It has uniform smooth-skinned roots that are deep crimson in colour.
A monogerm globe cultivar, bred by the Northrup King company and introduced in 1971.
It has medium top growth and a small crown.
Monogram is a monogerm beetroot raised by Dr. C.R. Dawson and introduced by Tozers
of Cobham, England. It requires less thinning because only one plant is produced per
seedball. It has good resistance to bolting and can be sown early. It has smooth
skinned globe-shaped roots, which are slightly flattened and deep-red in colour.
Monopoly is a monogerm cultivar, with spherical to slightly flattened globe roots. The
flesh is purplish-red, often with distinct pale rings. Monopoly has a rough skin
and is resistant to bolting. It stores well.
Moulin Rouge or Moulin Rouge Mini Beet is a globe-shaped baby or mini beet. It
is usually harvested when the roots are between 4 and 5 cm in diameter, although it
will grow to around 8 cm in diameter. It is monogerm, with each ?seed? having only
one viable true seed, which reduces the need for thinning.
See Crosby's Egyptian.
Nobol is a French globe cultivar, related to Boltardy. Resistant to bolting.
Pablo F1 Hybrid is a globe-shaped Dutch hybrid, bred by Bejo-Zaden. The roots are
smooth-skinned with dark-red flesh that has no rings or zoning. It is resistant
to bolting. The roots mature and store without becoming woody. It is a multi-purpose
beetroot, which is gaining in popularity and is favoured for exhibition.
A globe cultivar bred by the French-based Vilmorin company. It has
well-developed tops and roots with deep red flesh.
Pronto is a recent open pollinated globe introduction. It is recommended as
a mini-beet, with the roots harvested when ping-pong ball size, but the roots
can grow large. The roots are smooth-skinned with red flesh. When very small,
they are good steamed whole or pickled. Pronto can be sown from mid-summer onwards.
Red Ace F1 is a well-established globe-rooted hybrid, introduced by the
Alf Christianson Seed Company in 1981. It displays hybrid
vigour and has a better germination rate, faster spring growth, more uniform
root shape, and a greater degree of resistance to disease such as Cercospora
than most beetroot. It performs well under dry conditions and resists bolting,
enabling it to be sown early. It can be grown as a maincrop with regular, round
to oval roots that have a deep unblemished red colour without rings. The bright green
leaves hold their quality during the summer and can be cooked at an age when the greens
of many other beetroot have gone past the eating stage. The roots are sweet-tasting
due to a relatively high sugar content. It is a popular show variety.
Red Arrow F1 is a modern globe-rooted hybrid. It has upright leaves and roots with dark rings.
Red Ball is a globe cultivar, with tender greens and small dark-red fleshed roots. It has
been bred to produce good mini-beets.
A globe cultivar introduced by the Northrup King company in 1979. It has an upright short
top, and small roots with very dark-red flesh. Has only been grown in the USA.
See Bikores.
A long-rooted cultivar bred by W. Atlee Burpee and Company, in the USA. The
purple-red flesh is particularly sweet.
A globe cultivar introduced by Petoseed in 1994, in the USA. It has green tops,
smooth-skinned rots with dark-purple flesh. Red Purple is similar to Red Ace, matures
early and has resistance to powdery mildew.
A globe cultivar, bred for processing by Wes Hansche, in Wisconsin, USA, and sold
by Asgrow Seeds since 1965.
A globe-shaped beetroot raised by Bejo-Zaden B.V., which has relatively small
roots even when mature. The leaves are green and rather small. The root flesh is very
dark, purplish-red with fairly distinct zones. Regala is resistant to bolting and grows
well in containers. Also listed as Regalia in some sources.
Rocket is a long-rooted beetroot. Smooth-skinned and red fleshed. It is now relatively rare.
The beetroot from which many modern beetroot cultivars are ultimately derived. Distributed
around Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. No longer existing as a distinct variety.
Rosette is an globe-rooted F1 hybrid, sold by Asgrow Seeds since 1992. Dark green leaf and
red roots have little zoning.
See Crapaudine.
A globe cultivar bred by Abbott and Cobb in the USA, and introduced to the market
in 1982. It has uniform roots with deep red flesh and little zoning.
Royal Red is a globe cultivar, bred by the Northrup King Company from Detroit
parentage and introduced in 1962. The medium-sized roots are smooth-skinned,
dark-red fleshed, and have their globe shape flattened at the base.
Ruby Queen is a globe cultivar, bred by the Northrup King Company,
Minneapolis, USA, in the 1950s. It has short tops with dull green leaves
having some maroon colouration. The roots are bright
red with smooth skins and shoulders. When cooked the roots are sweet with a buttery
texture, and have a uniform bright dark-red appearance with no zoning. Ruby Queen is
popular in the Northeast USA as a fresh market and canning beet. It performs well in poor soils.
Sangria is a globe cultivar, introduced by Petoseed in the USA in the 1980s. It
has tall green tops and very smooth roots with dark purple flesh.
A globe cultivar bred by the Robson Seed Corporation, New York State,
USA, and introduced in their seed catalogue of 1951. It has a tall top, and
uniformly round roots with intense red flesh and low fibre. It is resistant
to boron deficiencies. Grown in the Northwest USA, particularly Oregon.
A globe cultivar, bred from Tall Top Wonder by the Eastern States Farmers
Exchange, Massachusetts, USA, and introduced in their catalogue of 1956. It
has tall tops with smooth leaf blades, and smooth-skinned red roots with little
zoning. It matures early.
Snowwhite or Snow White is a globe variety with pale white flesh. It has
distinctive curly and very waxy leaves.
A monogerm globe F1 hybrid, bred by Alf Christianson. Grown in the USA. It
has dark green glossy leaves and dark-red fleshed roots. Solo matures early
and is resistant to fungal diseases.
A heart-shaped globe cultivar, bred by A.F. Yeager and E.M. Meader, at
the New Hampshire Agricultural Experimental Station, USA, by crossing a
sugar beet with Detroit Dark Red. The large roots are as sweet as sugar
beet. Introduced in the late 1940s and only ever grown in a few
northern states of the USA.
A flattened globe beetroot, with purple-red flesh. Introduced by the D.M. Ferry
seed company in the USA.
See Detroit 2 Tardel.
See Chioggia.
See Devoy.
Warrior is globe-rooted F1 hybrid, bred by the Joseph Harris Seed Company in 1979. It
is fast-growing, with smooth round roots. A popular commercial beet for processing in the USA.
Wodan F1 hybrid was bred by Thompson and Morgan and introduced in their 2004 catalogue.
It is a globe beetroot with bright red flesh that can be harvested as baby or mature beets.
Mature beets do not go fibrous and store well. Young leaves can be eaten as spinach.
A mangel that is also eaten as a beetroot. A heirloom French beet,
listed by Vilmorin-Andrieux in 1885. Available from the HDRA Heritage Seed Library.
The tapering orange-yellow skinned, white-flashed roots grow large without loss of their
sweet flavour. The leaves
can be eaten steamed like chard. The roots keep well.
A cultivar formerly in the Unwins seed catalogue, but now only available as a heritage
variety. Larger staple crop beetroot.
B. Leaf Beets
Bright Lights or Bright Lights Swiss Chard is a recent introduction. It is bred from
Chilean beets and has stems or leaf mid-ribs (petioles) in white, pink, red, purple,
orange and yellow, and shades in between these colours. Bright Lights has been improved
for a milder flavour and its flavour is milder than for other chards. The leaf blades
are medium to green, sometimes bronzed, and savoyed (crinkled). Leaves and leaf ribs
can be cooked together or separately. Its multicoloured mid-ribs make it a popular
decorative addition to the vegetable garden. Watering well while young minimizes bolting.
A chard with dark green leaves and distinctive yellow stems or mid-ribs and veins.
Young leaves can be picked and the plant will regrow them like perpetual spinach. Often
grown as an ornamental.
A Swiss chard with red leaf mid-ribs or petioles and green leaf blades.
A collection of coloured chards that have been primarily grown as ornamentals.
A type of spinach beet or perpetual spinach from Italy. It can be continually
cut throughout the growing season for greens, which have good taste and texture.
Fordhook Giant is a British Swiss Chard variety, introduced in 1934. It has
thick white leaf midribs or stems, with large glossy green leaves that are highly
crinkled or savoyed in appearance. It is high yielding and can supply greens
throughout a growing season. It is considered synonymous with Dark Green Lucullus.
Lucullus is one of the oldest improved Chard varieties and was named after
the Roman general Lucullus. It has white stalks or leaf mid-ribs. The leaf blades are
heavily crinkled or savoyed. Tall, prolific and can be autumn planted. Tolerant
of high temperatures and highly resistant to bolting. If left to grow as a
biennial even the flower stalks can be eaten, like sprouting broccoli.
See Spinach Beet.
Rainbow Chard is an ornamental strain of chard, which dates back to Victorian
times in Britain. However, the leaves are good to eat. It was nearly lost, but
has regained in popularity. The leaf midribs have orange, yellow, pink, red and
white stalks. It is sometimes called Five Colour Silverbeet. Rainbow Chard is also
sometimes considered the same as Bright Lights Swiss Chard, but the latter is strictly
an improved modern introduction.
Rhubarb Chard or Ruby Chard is a heritage chard variety, first introduced
to gardeners in the USA in 1857. It is listed in seed catalogues from 1885. Rhubarb
Chard has bright red (deep crimson) leaf midribs (petioles) or stems and leaf veins. The
rest of the leaves are a glossy dark-green and crumpled in appearance. Ornamental and
culinary, dating from a time when there was less division between flower beds and
vegetable garden. It is relatively prone to bolting.
Ruby Red is an improved Swiss Chard with red (candy-apple red) stems or leaf
mid-ribs. The leaves are dark green or reddish green and red and green leaf veins, and
heavily crinkled. The stems and leaves have a relatively sweet taste. Sometimes
considered to be synonymous with Rhubarb Chard.
Spinach Beet or Perpetual spinach is a leaf beet with large smooth dark-green
leaf blades and small leaf midribs. In its modern form, it was introduced in Europe
in 1869. Young leaves can be picked and the plant will regrow them. It is highly
resistant to bolting and can be continuously harvested all year around. Spinach beet
also has good resistance to drought. The leaves can be cooked like spinach, but have
a milder taste. It can produce more fresh greens per unit area than probably any other vegetable.
Swiss chard is a leaf beet characterized by thickened stems and leaf mid-ribs or
petioles. It is also known as seakale beet. The earliest chards probably had white mid-ribs, but
Swiss chards with colourful mid-ribs have been known since Ancient times. The leaves are usually
glossy dark green and the tops grow to around 45 cm in height.
See Bright Lights.
A Swiss Chard cultivar with red stems or mid-ribs and dark green, sweet-tasting leaves.
C. Selected Seed Suppliers
D. Selected Bibliography
E.
Beetroot Products
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