Unicorn Kale is an exclusive open-pollinated cultivar of Brassica oleracea that brings striking visual appeal to the garden and kitchen. This compact variety reaches maturity in just 32 days from transplants, making it one of the quickest kales to harvest. Named for its refined, eye-catching appearance, Unicorn Kale grows frost-hardy and thrives in moderate moisture conditions, offering gardeners a nutrient-dense green that improves in flavor as temperatures cool into fall.
—
Moderate
?-?
?in H x ?in W
—
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Unicorn Kale stands apart for its lovely visual contrast and exclusive breeding, delivering mature leaves in just 32 days from transplants. The compact growth habit makes it suited to smaller garden spaces, while its frost-hardy nature means you can extend the harvest deep into fall as light frosts actually sweeten the leaves. The eating quality improves as the season cools, making late-season harvests particularly rewarding.
Unicorn Kale is grown as a leaf vegetable, harvested for its edible greens. Beginning about two months after planting, individual leaves can be clipped for use in salads, cooking, and microgreen production. The variety is also suitable for baby-leaf harvest, making it flexible for both full-size and tender young-leaf applications.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Sow seeds 1/8 to 1/4 inch apart on moistened potting mix or soilless medium in shallow trays or flats, pressing seeds firmly into the media for maximum soil contact and covering lightly with sowing mix, vermiculite, or a humidity dome. Maintain soil temperatures over 75°F (24°C) until germination occurs, then reduce air temperature to about 60°F (16°C). Seedlings should be ready to transplant in 4 to 6 weeks.
Transplant seedlings outdoors when they reach 4 to 6 weeks of age, spacing them 12 to 18 inches apart in rows 18 to 36 inches apart. Prefer cooler growing temperatures between 55 to 75°F, with optimal conditions at 60 to 70°F.
Starting approximately two months after planting, harvest by clipping individual leaves from the plant. Unicorn Kale is very hardy, and eating quality will actually improve into late fall with light frosts. Late-summer sowings can be extended through winter in cold frames, hoophouses, or in the open in mild regions. Row covers provide additional protection to extend the harvest period even further.
Beginning about two months after planting, harvest by clipping individual leaves as needed rather than removing the entire plant. This allows continuous leaf production throughout the season.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.