Beta vulgaris 'Rhubarb Chard' (Swiss Chard)

'Rhubarb Chard' is the classic red-stemmed Swiss chard, named for the visual resemblance its vivid crimson stalks bear to rhubarb. The stems are intensely colored and remain bold through the season, while the large, puckered leaves are deep green with red veins running throughout. It is one of the most ornamental of the edible crops and earns a spot in mixed borders as much as in the kitchen garden, where its upright habit and striking color contrast well with greens and blues.

Swiss chard is a cool-season crop that grows quickly to about 24 inches tall and tolerates both spring and fall temperatures in the Pacific Northwest. It matures in roughly 60 days but can be harvested continuously by removing outer leaves and allowing the plant to keep producing from the center. This cut-and-come-again habit makes it extremely productive for the space it occupies. Both the stems and leaves are edible, with the stems holding up to cooking and the leaves wilting down like spinach.

Start plants in early spring or late summer for fall harvest. Chard is more heat-tolerant than spinach and less likely to bolt.