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Japanese Umaina Chard is a tender heirloom variety from Japan that delivers exceptional eating quality in 50-60 days. It grows as a compact rosette reaching 18-24 inches tall, with distinctively broad, slightly wrinkled leaves and short midribs that set it apart from standard chards. This annual thrives in full sun and tolerates both hot and cold temperatures remarkably well, making it slow to bolt and reliable for harvest-when-desired fresh greens throughout the season. Though not widely available commercially, gardeners who grow it inevitably become devoted to its superior quality.
Full Sun
Moderate
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24in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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Broad, beautifully textured leaves with short midribs create a visually striking plant that's equally rewarding to harvest. The variety's remarkable temperature tolerance across a wide range means you can plant it early spring and keep harvesting well into cold weather, with minimal bolting to interrupt your supply. It reaches table-ready size in just 50-60 days, making it refreshingly quick to maturity for a tender Japanese green.
Japanese Umaina Chard is grown as a fresh green for culinary use. The tender, broad leaves work beautifully in raw salads, lightly sautéed as a side dish, or added to soups and braises where their delicate texture shines. The short midribs mean less waste and a more refined eating experience than varieties with thick stems.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Sow seeds directly outdoors when soil temperatures fall within the 50-85°F germination range. Spring sowing can begin as soon as soil is workable; summer sowings work equally well for fall harvest.
Japanese Umaina Chard reaches harvest-ready maturity in 50-60 days from sowing. Begin picking outer leaves once the plant has established several true leaves, working from the outside in to encourage continued production. The plant's resistance to bolting means you can harvest leaves selectively over an extended period rather than rushing to use the entire plant at once. Continue harvesting as leaves reach full size and tenderness for best eating quality.
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“Japanese Umaina Chard is a non-GMO heirloom variety that originated in Japan, where it developed as a specialized culinary green adapted to Japanese growing conditions and palates. The variety has remained relatively obscure outside its native region, preserved by traditional growers and seed savers rather than commercial breeding programs. Its journey to Western gardens reflects the broader revival of heritage Asian vegetables among home gardeners seeking authentic, regionally-specific crops.”