Description

Rainbow chard has dark green leaves. The stems can be red, pink, orange, yellow or white. The dark colours may bleed when cut and affect the colour of other foods when cooked. Young leaves can be eaten raw. Use outer leaves and stems as necessary and leave the plant in the ground for a longer harvest.
Botanically, Rainbow chard is the same plant as silverbeet. Although both are often called ‘spinach’, neither is related to true spinach.
Chard and silverbeet are the same species as beetroot; all three can cross-pollinate. Being biennial, the seeds are not produced until the second year.