Description
This listing is for those who want a couple tries at rooting 2 different tree collards in one order. This packet contains 2 Purple Tree Collard cuttings and 2 Jolly Green Tree Collard cuttings. Starting a new tree collard plant can be easy but it takes a consistent moment of daily attention until the plants have rooted. If you want to skip the step of rooting cuttings, you can buy plants that are already rooted.
Purple Tree Collards are a perennial vegetable related to collard greens. They can get over eight feet in height and will continue to grow and produce year after year. They turn darker purple tones in cool months and are lighter green in warm months. They rarely go to seed. They can survive temperatures down to around 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Many people find that the flavor of Purple Tree Collards is superior to traditional collard greens. They are very productive and tend to be more disease and pest resistant.
In addition to humans, chickens and ducks love to eat tree collards- their egg yolks will turn a brilliant orange. Like other collard greens, Purple Tree Collards are very nutritious. They are high in Vitamins B1, B2, B9, C, and beta-Carotene and are a great source of fiber.
Jolly Green Tree Collards are a naturally occurring garden hybrid from the Project Tree Collard farm in Berkeley, CA. This perennial collard plant grows 5-10 feet high and 3 feet wide with a naturally branching form. Leaves can grow up to 2 feet long and are a bright to medium green color with lighter stems. They are smooth like annual collards, but much larger. In cooler seasons, the leaves become sweeter and stems can be tinged with purple coloration. Jolly Green is the fastest growing tree collard we offer.
The Jolly Green Tree Collard is most likely a cross between Merritt Tree Collard and Purple Tree Collard. Even though it forms a 1-2 inch diameter trunk, it should be secured to a sturdy wood or metal stake as branches can break in wet weather and high winds. Jolly Green does bloom in the spring but the flower stalks can easily be removed to force the plant back into leaf production. It it is much more productive through the spring than some other tree collards. Jolly Green has a mild collard flavor which is most similar to the annual collards. Due to the flatter leaves, they are a favorite quick addition to wash and chop for deeply nutritious meals.
The Purple Tree Collards and the Jolly Green Tree Collards are perennial in zones 8-11, and probably marginal in zones 7 A and 7B. They have thrived in Grass Valley, CA where it snows lightly in winter and gets 115 degrees in July and August.
All of our cuttings are tip cuttings from young, healthy growth on our mother plants. 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.
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. Many of our customers have had great success with rooting cuttings. However, we cannot guarantee your success. They come in bundles of 4 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 want to keep them in partial shade while they form roots. We have a tutorial here 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. 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!
