Luna Rossa Radicchio is a cold-hardy cultivar of chicory bred for North American gardeners seeking reliable yields and dependable performance. This open-pollinated variety matures in 120 days and thrives in cool weather, making it well-suited to spring and fall production. The plant grows as a compact bush, delivering the bitter-sweet, slightly peppery character radicchio lovers crave, with improved uniformity over older heirloom types.
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3-10
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Moderate
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Luna Rossa earns its reputation through cold tolerance and consistent productivity that older radicchio varieties simply cannot match. Bred specifically for North American conditions, it handles the temperamental nature of radicchio production better than its predecessors, though Johnny's Selected Seeds acknowledges that even this improved variety rewards gardeners who trial successive plantings to dial in their local conditions. The cold hardiness makes it a genuine option for extending the season into fall and early winter harvests.
Luna Rossa radicchio is harvested for its tightly-formed heads, which are typically used raw in salads where their bitter, slightly peppery flavor provides contrast and complexity, or roasted whole or halved to mellow the bite and caramelize the outer leaves. The distinctive deep red-purple color and white veining make it as visually striking on the plate as it is flavorful.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Sow seeds in flats at 4 seeds per inch, or in 3/4-inch plug trays, barely covering seeds with fine vermiculite. Sow 3 to 4 weeks before your planned transplant date. Shade the flats on sunny, warm days to keep the soil surface cool, below 75°F (24°C), until germination occurs. About 2 weeks after germination, transplant seedlings 1 to 2 inches apart into flats, pots, or cell-type containers.
Harden seedlings by reducing water and temperature for 2 to 3 days before planting outdoors. Properly hardened transplants can survive cooler outdoor conditions. Transplant outdoors once they have developed true leaves and your soil is workable.
Luna Rossa reaches harvest maturity in 120 days from transplanting. Harvest when the head feels firm to gentle pressure and the outer leaves have tightened around the compact center. Heads can be cut at the base with a sharp knife once they've reached full size and color.
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“Luna Rossa represents a deliberate breeding effort to overcome radicchio's notoriously fussy reputation in North American gardens. While traditional radicchio varieties proved unpredictably finicky about uniformity and heading, Luna Rossa was developed as a generational leap forward, maintaining open-pollinated genetics while selecting for stability and cold tolerance. Johnny's Selected Seeds introduced it as an exclusive offering, positioning it as the result of years of trialing and refinement to suit North American growing conditions rather than relying solely on European heirlooms.”