Purple Ultracross Collard is a community-bred heirloom that brings both stunning visual drama and reliable cold-hardiness to the winter garden. Developed through the Utopian Seed Project by Chris Smith, this vibrant collard blend features deep purple hues that deepen as temperatures drop, making it as beautiful as it is functional. Growing to a compact 30 inches tall and ready to harvest in just 75 days, it thrives in full sun with moderate water and well-draining soil kept between pH 6.5 and 7.5. This frost-hardy cultivar rewards patient gardeners who save seed, becoming part of an evolving breeding story that connects home gardeners to the future of this delicious variety.
Full Sun
Moderate
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30in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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Purple Ultracross Collard carries the genetic fingerprints of community-based plant breeding, selected specifically for the combination of cold-hardiness and those striking purple leaf colors that intensify in cool weather. The variety invites seed saving, turning each season into an opportunity to shape the plant's evolution in your own garden. Its 75-day maturity and modest 30-inch height make it manageable for most gardeners, while the moderate water needs and frost tolerance mean it handles the unpredictable transitions of spring and fall with grace.
As a collard green, Purple Ultracross serves all the traditional culinary applications of this Brassica family staple. The leaves can be harvested young for tender salad additions or left to mature for the hearty cooking that collards are renowned for, whether braised slowly in the Southern tradition, added to soups and stews, or sautéed with garlic. The purple coloration intensifies with cool weather and frost, making it particularly valued by cooks seeking visual drama in the kitchen alongside robust, slightly sweet flavor.
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Start seeds indoors approximately six weeks before your planned transplant date. Maintain soil temperature between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit for reliable germination. Seedlings are ready to transplant when they reach 4 inches tall.
Transplant seedlings outdoors when they reach 4 inches tall. Space plants 18 inches apart with 18 inches between rows. The variety is frost-hardy, so it can tolerate transplanting into cool weather and will benefit from the cold hardening process.
Begin harvesting at approximately 75 days from transplant. Pick the larger, outer leaves first, working your way around the plant and leaving the smaller inner leaves intact to continue developing. This method allows the plant to keep producing throughout the season. The leaves are ready when they reach a size you prefer for cooking; younger leaves offer more tenderness while mature leaves provide more robust flavor and texture.
Harvest larger outer leaves continuously as they mature, allowing the smaller inner leaves to continue growing. This selective harvest approach encourages ongoing leaf production and extends your harvest window rather than requiring traditional pruning.
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“Purple Ultracross Collard emerged from the Utopian Seed Project, a collaborative breeding initiative led by seed expert Chris Smith. Rather than being developed in isolation, this variety represents community-based plant breeding at its core, gently selected across growing seasons for two key traits: the ability to withstand cold and the development of those distinctive purple hues in the leaf tissue. The very name 'Ultracross' hints at its blend of genetics. What makes this variety's story compelling is the invitation it extends to gardeners: save seed from the plants that perform best in your garden, and you become an active participant in the ongoing evolution of this collard. This approach transforms a single season of growing into part of a longer conversation between gardener and plant.”