Red Russian Brassica napus
After work today I went out in the gray afternoon with my camera. I was fascinated by the play of water drops on kale leaves. Kale seem to be equipped with natures nano tecnology.
Red Russian is a different kale. The classic kale is deep green with curly leaves, whereas this variety has feathered leaves. Color is somewhat different, with a notable silvery shine. Taste is sweet, and raw leaves are crisp to the bite.
A villager probably regocnise the colors from the swedes/rutabagas. Red Russian belong to the same species, whereas most other kales belong to same species as cabbage. When saving seeds it’s important to isolate from swedes/rutabagas and from other kales of this species, like the russian, sibirian and baltic kales, as well as the north german scheerkohls.
As the name indicate, Red Russian originates in Russia. It was probably known before 1865. Vilmorin-Andrieux mention it under the synonym Ragged Jack in their illustrated book on the vegetable garden. Not all agree that Red Russian and Ragged Jack are synonyms, but many seedcompanies treat them as such. If not synonyms, they are probably difficult to tell apart.
Volunteers in my garden from seed spillage this summer after overwintered parent plants. Could any weed be better?
Read more about Brassica napus kale (Seed Ambassadors)
In the toad's garden 
January 25, 2008 at 22:40
This is an interesting post, never heard of Ragged Jack but like the name. I eat kale at least twice a day. Beautiful photo … best kale photo ever!
January 26, 2008 at 21:51
I remember the Seed Ambassadors talking about this when they were here. I like kale. I love turnip greens. I like turnips. I like cabbage. I hate most rutabagas/swedes.
I don’t think I would like Russian Kale.
Would you grow this again? Is this something you think you will grow every year?
January 26, 2008 at 22:33
Meg you’ll probebly like this kale, and Patrick I guess you are right, allthough you didn’t taste it yet.
I’ve been growing it since 2003. I might not grow it every year, as I like to grow other brassicas too, but I do like it, and will grow it again.
It seems to be insensitive to inbreeding, as Seed Ambassadors also note, it is a natural inbreeder. Thus a very simple brassica to keep for seedsaving in a small garden.