chard

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chard

plant, Beta vulgaris cultivar

Also known as: Swiss chard, leaf beet

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Feb 10, 2025 • Article History

Also called:: Swiss chard

Related Topics:: Beta vulgaris; vegetable

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chard, (Beta vulgaris), one of the four cultivated forms of the plant Beta vulgaris of the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae), grown for its edible leaves and leafstalks. Fresh chard is highly perishable and difficult to ship to distant markets. The young leaves can be eaten raw in salads, while larger leaves and stalks are commonly sautéed or served in soups. Chard is a good source of vitamin A and vitamin C and is popular as a home-garden vegetable because of its ease of culture, productiveness, and tolerance to moderately hot weather. For related cultivated forms of B. vulgaris, see beet and sugar beet.

Chard is a biennial plant but is typically cultivated as an annual. Unlike other varieties of B. vulgaris, the plant does not have fleshy roots. Its large leaves can grow to more than 30 cm (1 foot) in length and can be harvested continually throughout the growing season, though production slows in the heat of summer. Some cultivars, often marketed as “rainbow chard,” have colourful stalks, which can be red, orange, yellow, or pale green. “Silver chard” is a name sometimes given to white-stalked varieties, while “rhubarb chard” commonly is applied to those with red stalks. The plant is killed by deep freezes but can persist in mild climates. Chard generally flowers in its second year, during which the leaves are bitter and unpalatable.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.

beet

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Garden beets, or beetroots, have red roots that are often eaten after being cooked or pickled.

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beet

plant, Beta vulgaris cultivar

Also known as: beetroot, garden beet, table beet

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Mar 22, 2025 • Article History

Also called:: beetroot, common beet, or garden beet

Related Topics:: root; root vegetable; Beta vulgaris; vegetable; borscht

On the Web:: CORE - Chemistry and pharmacological effect of beta vulgaris: A systematic review (PDF) (Mar. 22, 2025)

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beet, (Beta vulgaris), one of the four cultivated forms of the plant Beta vulgaris of the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae), grown for its edible leaves and taproot. Beetroots are frequently roasted or boiled and served as a side dish. They are also commonly canned, either whole or cut up, and often are pickled, spiced, or served in a sweet-and-sour sauce. The leaves of garden beets can be cooked like spinach or eaten fresh if picked young. Beetroots are a good source of riboflavin as well as folate, manganese, and the antioxidant betaine. Beet greens are a source of riboflavin, iron, and vitamins A, C, and K. For related cultivated forms of B. vulgaris, see chard and sugar beet.

Physical description

The garden beet is a biennial plant and is primarily grown for the thick fleshy taproot that forms during the first season. In the second season a tall, branched, leafy stem arises to bear clusters of minute green flowers that develop into brown corky fruits commonly called seedballs. The taproot ranges in shape from globular to long and tapered. Skin and flesh colours are usually dark purplish red, though some are nearly white or orange. Beetroots should be smooth, firm, and unblemished; medium-sized specimens are the most tender. The oblong leaves typically have a red petiole (leaf stem) and midrib and can be harvested continually throughout the first growing season, though production slows in the heat of summer. Overharvesting of the leaves can negatively affect the size of the beetroot. In mild climates the plant can overwinter, though the leaves turn bitter and unpalatable when the plant flowers in its second season.

Cultivation

Beets are most extensively grown in temperate to cool regions or during the cooler seasons; the growing season is about 8 to 10 weeks in favourable climates. They grow best in deep loose soils that are high in organic matter; they respond well to chemical fertilizers and manures. Grown extensively under irrigation, beets tolerate a relatively high salt content of the soil but are sensitive to high acidity and to a low content of boron. Boron deficiency retards growth and causes black lesions in the root flesh.

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The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.