'Ruby Red' Swiss Chard: Colorful Stems for Garden and Table

Beta vulgaris 'Ruby Red' is a sweet Swiss chard with candy-apple-red stalks and dark green, crinkly leaves touched with red. Both leaves and stalks are highly ornamental, making it a standout in vegetable gardens, cottage gardens, or ornamental beds. Unlike beets, the root is inedible, but the greens offer mild flavor and high nutrition.

Culture and Care

Grow in full sun to part shade in rich, light, moist soil. Water thoroughly during dry spells to prevent bolting. Sow seeds directly in early spring or late summer. This frost-tolerant annual reaches 1–3 feet tall and wide with a clumping habit.

Potential Issues

Watch for fungal leaf spots, downy mildew, powdery mildew, damping off, root rots, leaf miners, aphids, and caterpillars. Good air circulation and proper spacing help prevent disease.

Design Uses

'Ruby Red' shines when paired with plants that highlight its red coloring—combine with purple, silver, or deep green foliage for striking contrast. It's equally at home in a potager, mixed border, or container.

Quick Reference

• Height/Spread: 1–3 feet
• Light: Full sun to part shade
• Moisture: Medium, consistent
• Stalks: Bright red
• Leaves: Dark green, crinkly, red-tinged
• Edible: Leaves and stalks only
• Special: Frost tolerant