Lyon Swiss is a Swiss chard cultivar from the Cicla group that delivers vibrant, nutrient-dense leaves in just 50 days. Unlike its beet relatives, Swiss chard is prized for its tender greens rather than roots, and Lyon Swiss thrives across hardiness zones 2-11, making it accessible to gardeners nearly everywhere. The leaves pack extraordinary antioxidant power, rivaling spinach on the world's healthiest vegetable lists, with striking colors that hint at the anthocyanins and fiber within. This frost-tolerant variety demands full sun and consistent moisture but rewards you with an extended harvest season when you pick from the outside in.
Full Sun
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2-11
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Lyon Swiss delivers leaves in just 50 days and continues producing through frost, thanks to its cold tolerance that extends from zone 2 to zone 11. The vivid leaf colors signal the presence of anthocyanins, making this one of the most antioxidant-rich foods you can grow at home. Its place in the same family as beets but with a completely different purpose reflects a fascinating branch of Beta vulgaris breeding that prioritizes leaf quality over roots.
Lyon Swiss leaves are harvested and eaten as a cooked or raw green, similar to spinach but with a heartier texture. The tender foliage works in soups, stir-fries, sautés, and fresh salads, while its robust nature means it holds up better to cooking than delicate greens. The consistent harvest from outer leaves allows you to enjoy this vegetable for weeks from a single planting.
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Sow seeds directly into the garden when soil temperature reaches 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant seeds at the spacing indicated for germination to occur within the 50-75 degree Fahrenheit range.
Begin harvesting Lyon Swiss leaves when they reach usable size, typically around 50 days from sowing. Harvest by selecting leaves from the outside of the plant, working carefully inward to avoid damaging the growing point at the center. This method of continuous outer-leaf harvest encourages the plant to keep producing fresh growth throughout the season. Remove only what you need at each picking, allowing the plant to sustain itself and continue yielding.
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