Dazzling Blue Lacinato
Crop: Kale (Brassica oleracea)
Use/Type: Standard
Breeder: Hank Keogh Avoca Seed Farm
OSSI Pledge Date: 10/9/2015
Release Date: 10/9/2015
Bred for Organic Systems: Yes
Commercial Availability: Yes
Variety Type: Finished Variety
Description
Dazzling Blue Lacinato has a deep blue-green waxy leaf with a dazzling bright pink midrib. It has downturned, curled-under strap leaves with a gentle savoy. Dazzling Blue Lacinato began in 2011, with a cross between two smooth leafed individual “off-types” out of Lacinato Rainbow and three WGS-strain lacinato kales with blue leaves and a whisper of pink midrib. Both Lacinato Rainbow and Lacinato Kale were commercial crops for Wild Garden Seed at the time. Thanks to Frank Morton of Wild Garden Seed for his expert advice and guidance.
This kale has all the flavor of Lacinato, with a bright pink midrib for style. It has improved vigor and cold tolerance compared to other lacinato type kales. Leaves are waxy blue-green in color with mild savoy and down-turned margins. Upright, long, full-strap leaves make good bunches. Let Dazzling Blue Lacinato add a pop of color to your winter greens market. This is Hank Keogh’s first breeding project, and it continues to be grown, stewarded, and improved at Avoca Seed Farm. This selection went through the record freeze of 2013-14 in Oregon, and several cold events since, showing better freeze resistance than Lacinato. I have been selecting primarily for leaf color and shape traits, but along the way I have also selected for vigor, freeze tolerance, resistance to botrytis, and long strap leaves. Recently I have added a focus on large second-year leaves to provide more “hunger gap” food well into March, in our wild winter region of Oregon. The name Dazzling Blue is a nod to Paul Simon’s song of the same title. “Maybe love’s an accident, or destiny is true, but you and I were born beneath a star of dazzling blue.” Thanks Paul Simon! Updated: April 2023Source: Avoca Seed Farm
Availability from OSSI Seed Company Partners
