Description
Big Blue Tree Collards are a 2020 introduction and extremely limited perennial tree collard. It is a naturally occurring garden hybrid from the Berkeley Farm that appears to be a cross between the Merritt Tree Collard, Dino Tree Collard, and maybe even Purple Tree Collard. Big Blue gets between 3 and 8 feet in height, and appears to naturally branch into a mid-sized shrub form. Within the first year or two, wide stalks 1-2 inches in diameter can form. Once the tree collard reaches 2-3 feet in height, it would be best tied to a sturdy stake as it can be top heavy in storms and high winds. Leaves can get up to 1 1/2 feet long and are a stunning blue-green color with a hint of pink/purple in the stems. They are somewhat crinkly like Dinosaur Kale, but much wider and less linear.
Because it is a new introduction, at this time it’s cold hardiness or heat tolerance is unknown. Based on past experience, it should be at least as cold and heat tolerant as its parentage. One can expect it to be good in zones 8-11, and probably marginal in zones 7 a and b. So far it has done well in snow and temperatures down to 28 degrees.
All of our cuttings are tip cuttings from young, healthy growth on our mother plants which are grown in fertile, compost rich soil. We never use pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic fertilizers in our garden. Cuttings are wrapped in damp paper and a small plastic bag so that they will remain moist during transit. Starting a new tree collard plant can be relatively easy but it takes a moment of DAILY attention until the plants have rooted. They are usually sold in bundles of 3 or 4 cuttings because often not all cuttings will make it. Some customers are unable to successfully root any of them. For this reason, we do NOT recommend that beginner gardeners buy cuttings because it may be easier to start with a rooted plant. If you want to skip the step of rooting cuttings, you can buy plants that are already rooted.
Detailed instructions for growing your tree collards will be included with your order. You can also find our videos on Youtube at Project Tree Collard. Most of our customers have had great success with rooting cuttings. However, we cannot guarantee your success. They come in bundles of 3 because they sometimes don’t all root.
Please have high quality potting soil and some 4″ or 1 gallon containers on hand for their arrival. Tree collards root best in mild weather conditions and will need sun. If your region is hot when you receive your cuttings, you’ll need to keep them in partial shade while they form roots. We have a tutorial on Project Tree Collard YouTube channel showing how to root tree collards from cuttings.
Please note that while we hope that every order we ship thrives in your garden, we cannot be responsible for cuttings that freeze or get cooked in your mailbox or suffer for any other reason outside of our control. Please consider the weather in your region when ordering. We do our best to ensure a safe journey for your plants but cannot be responsible for weather-related damage. If there is a defect with your order please take photos and contact us within 24 hours of arrival. We hope you enjoy your cuttings!
