VegetableRadicchio
Rouge De Verona Radicchio
Rouge De Verona Radicchio is an heirloom vegetable that straddles the line between cabbage and lettuce, bringing Italian heritage to the American garden. This bitter green is ready to harvest in 50 to 80 days, though some sources extend this to 89 days depending on growing conditions. Hardy from zones 3 to 9, it thrives in full sun and grows as a compact annual that even works in containers. Both leaves and roots are edible, delivering a distinctive bitter and spicy punch that mellows into sweetness when cooked.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
3-9
Sunlight
Full Sun
Growth Stats
Spacing
12
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
—
Zones
3-9
Size
?in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
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Highlights
Rouge De Verona's leaves pack a complex bitter-spicy flavor that transforms with heat, becoming noticeably sweeter when grilled with olive oil in the traditional Italian style. The plant's dual-use character means you can harvest tender young leaves for salads while the roots develop below ground, giving you two crops in one planting. Its nutrient density and antioxidant load make it a serious green for health-conscious growers, while its dramatic coloring adds visual interest to both raw salad mixes and cooked dishes.
Common Uses
The bitter leaves shine in salads, where their spicy edge cuts through rich dressings and complements milder greens beautifully. When cooked, the leaves become noticeably sweeter and work wonderfully grilled with olive oil, a preparation that's become iconic in Italian cooking. Both raw and cooked applications benefit from the plant's dual-harvest potential: you can pick tender young leaves early for salads, then let the plant continue developing for a larger harvest later. The roots are also edible and usable, adding to the plant's overall culinary value.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Transplant Outdoors
Once seedlings reach a manageable size and frost danger has passed, thin or transplant them to their final spacing of 12 inches apart, with 3 inches between rows. Ensure soil is cool and consistent in moisture at transplanting time.
Direct Sow
Place seeds directly in the ground when the danger of frost has passed. Sow at the depth indicated on your seed packet, then thin seedlings to a foot apart as they develop.
Harvesting
Rouge De Verona is ready to harvest between 50 and 80 days after sowing, though some growing conditions may extend this to 89 days. You can begin harvesting tender young leaves once the plant has developed several leaves, or wait for the head to fully form for a larger, more dramatic harvest. The leaves are best when firm and vibrant in color; pick them when you want to use them, as the flavor remains freshest immediately after harvest. Both leaves and roots are harvestable, giving you flexibility in how you approach gathering this crop.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Cichorium endiva
History & Origin
“This heirloom radicchio carries the legacy of Verona, Italy, where radicchio cultivation has deep roots in regional agriculture and food culture. The variety represents a tradition of breeding bittergreens suited to European growing conditions and culinary traditions, eventually finding its way into seed catalogs across North America. Its persistence in the garden catalog marketplace speaks to gardeners and growers who value both its authentic flavor and its connection to Italian vegetable heritage.”