Siber Frills Kale is a Siberian-leaf cultivar that won hearts in Hudson Valley Seed's 2016 Member Trials program, and for good reason. Its extraordinary frilly leaf structure looks almost architectural, with deeply ruffled foliage that reaches 18 to 36 inches tall and spreads 24 inches wide. This frost-hardy green matures in just 60 days and demands full sun and consistently moist soil, thriving in the cool-season garden where kale truly shines. The intensely frilled leaves mean minimal prep work in the kitchen, whether you're tossing them raw into salads or sautéing them into submission.
18
Full Sun
High
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36in H x 24in W
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Moderate
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The hyper-frilly leaf shape is the real showstopper here, delivering visual drama to both the garden and the plate while practically eliminating prep time since you're working with nature's own ribbons rather than flat blades. Bred by Jonathan Spero at Lupine Knoll Farm and certified under OSSI standards, this variety emerged from real-world trials with home gardeners, not just lab work. Its frost tolerance means you can push your harvest well into harsh weather, and the ability to harvest individual outer leaves keeps the plant productive across weeks rather than days.
Siber Frills Kale shines in raw applications where its naturally ribbon-like texture adds height and visual interest to salads and mesclun mixes without demanding a knife. The frilly leaves also excel when sautéed, steamed, or braised, drinking in butter, garlic, and acid with grace. Its tender character when cooked makes it approachable even for those who find the tougher kale varieties overwhelming. The variety's productivity through cool weather means you can keep harvesting fresh leaves across fall and into early winter.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Sow seeds indoors under protection about eight weeks before your last spring frost date. Maintain soil temperature between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit for reliable germination.
Transplant seedlings outdoors about one month before your last frost date. Harden off plants gradually by exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Space plants 18 inches apart with 12 inches between rows.
Direct sow seeds outdoors about one month before your last frost date, planting into soil warmed to 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Begin harvesting individual outer leaves once the plant is established, allowing inner leaves to continue developing. Harvest leaves at the baby stage to increase the total number of harvests from each plant. Pick leaves from the bottom up at any size, but avoid harvesting more than one-third of the foliage at a time and never remove the terminal bud at the center top, as this maintains the plant's productivity. Frost and cool weather intensify the flavor, so time your main harvest for fall and early winter. The plant will continue producing until temperatures fall to around 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
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“Siber Frills Kale comes from Jonathan Spero's breeding work at Lupine Knoll Farm, a small-scale seed operation focused on developing varieties suited to real gardening conditions. The 2016 Member Trials program run by Hudson Valley Seed gave this cultivar its proving ground, where it earned recognition by outperforming in home gardens rather than controlled trials. Its OSSI certification reflects a commitment to open-source genetics, meaning seed savers can legally save and share seed from their own plants. This kale represents the modern heirloom ideal: a variety developed through direct feedback from gardeners and kept freely available for cultivation.”