Hard Headed Cabbage Collard variety description
Variation in population. Three of 11 plants are dark green. The other 8 are yellow-green to light green. One plant has a prostrate growth habit, while others are more open. Leaf blistering is slightly variable from low to moderate. Leaf margin is variable from entire to wavy. Petioles slightly more enlarged on two of the darker green plants. Plants have moderate heading capabilities. Plants measure 16.5-26 inches tall and 28-48 inches wide. Variety has tough and stringy leaves, but is slightly sweet.
Hard Headed Cabbage Collard variety history
Grown by Ronald and Mary Spain of Jacksonville, North Carolina. Their source was Mary’s aunt, Gladys Stevens Russell, who received this heirloom collard from her parents. Therefore, this same line of collard has been passed down for several decades. In 2004, Ronald and Mary gave some seeds to Dr. John Morgan, a cultural geographer and professor of geography at Emory & Henry College, who was collecting heirloom collard strains for preservation on behalf of the USDA Accession. Seed Savers Exchange received this variety in 2016 from the USDA Accession collection (PI 662802).
Seed Status:
This variety is low quantity in the Seed Savers Exchange collection and is currently being regenerated at Heritage Farm in Decorah, IA.