Silver beet
Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla

Family: Amaranthaceae

What it is like

A broad leafed annual plant. Stalks are smooth and often white with a dark green leaf. A clump of stalks and leaves are produced from the base. Plants can also be blue. The leaves can be 12-25 cm long. The flowers are small and greenish. They are in slender clusters. The fruit are dry and spiny.

Probably all Beta are one species and 2 main forms - Cicla - for leaves, and Contiva - for roots. Also put in the family Chenopodiaceae.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It needs to be over at least 500 m altitude in the tropics. It is mostly grown between 1000 and 2600 m altitude. It can tolerate frost.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Asia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Benin, Botswana, Britain, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Chad, China, Congo, Cook Islands, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Europe, Fiji, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Hawaii, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mediterranean, Mexico, Middle East, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, North America, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, Sahel, SE Asia, Senegal, Sicily, Sierra Leone, Sikkim, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Spain, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tasmania, Togo, Turkey, Türkiye, Uganda, Uruguay, USA, Vanuatu, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The leaves and stalks are cooked and eaten. The leaf stalks can be cut from the leaf and cooked separately as an asparagus substitute. They can be braised and served with buttered bread crumbs. The leaves are used for sarma in Turkey. They are rolled around a filling of rice or minced meat. Some kinds have edible roots.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. It is moderately common in some highland areas in the tropics including Papua New Guinea.

Edible parts

Leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

It is grown from seeds. Under tropical conditions it is not normally possible to save your own seed. In cold climates plants need to be sown when conditions are warmer so that plants do not go straight to flower. A spacing of 30 cm between plants is suitable. Seed are sown 2.5 cm deep.

The first leaves are ready after 8-10 weeks and can produce for 2 years. Only the outer leaves are picked off.

Its other names

Local names

Acelga, Bette a couper, Bette, Bioetola, Chukandar, Geundae, Hou pi cai, Leaf beet, Mangold, Navadna pesa, Sorta, Palak, Schnittmangold, Seakale, Spinach beet, Swiss chard

Synonyms

Probably now Beta vulgaris Cicla group;