Kale Varieties from Paramount Seeds — A Grower's Guide
Kale is an extremely popular crop choice. Whether you're growing full heads, baby leaf, or microgreens, the right variety makes a significant difference in yield, color, flavor, and market appeal. Here's our breakdown of the kale varieties available from Paramount Seeds.
Lacinato (Dinosaur) Kale
Lacinato Dinosaur Kale — Shop Now
The classic Italian heirloom kale with dark blue-green, pebbled leaves and a rich, earthy flavor. Lacinato — also known as Tuscan or Dinosaur kale — is a premium variety with strong demand from chefs, specialty retailers, and farmers markets. Its distinctive leaf texture and deep color make it a standout in any produce display.
Red Russian Kale
Red Russian Kale — Shop Now
A flat-leaved kale with distinctive purple-red stems and a tender, mild flavor — one of the most popular kale varieties for baby leaf and microgreen production. Red Russian is fast-growing, early to harvest, and produces attractive, deeply lobed leaves with excellent color contrast. A staple in premium baby leaf mixes and a farmers market favorite. For more on non-pelleted seed options suited to baby leaf and microgreen programs, see our non-pelleted variety guide.
Vates Blue Curled Kale
Kale — Vates (Blue Curled) — Shop Now
A compact, tightly curled blue-green kale with excellent cold hardiness and a long harvest window. Vates is a reliable open-pollinated variety well suited to fall and winter greenhouse production, with good uniformity and strong yield. A practical choice for growers who need a dependable curled kale without the cost of F1 hybrid seed.
Winterbor F1
Kale — Winterbor F1 — Shop Now
A vigorous F1 hybrid, tightly curled blue-green kale with excellent cold tolerance and strong yield. Winterbor F1 is the standard for fresh-cut and bunched kale production, with a long harvest window and outstanding shelf life. Its uniform, upright habit makes it well suited to both field and greenhouse production. A top choice for growers supplying retail and foodservice markets year-round.
Choosing the Right Kale
| Variety | Type | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Lacinato Dinosaur | Flat, dark blue-green | Chefs, specialty retail, farmers markets |
| Red Russian | Flat, purple-red stems | Baby leaf, microgreens, farmers markets |
| Vates Blue Curled | Curled, blue-green (OP) | Fall/winter greenhouse, OP alternative to Winterbor |
| Winterbor F1 | Curled, blue-green (F1) | Retail bunches, fresh-cut, year-round greenhouse |
Production Tips
Kale seed from Paramount Seeds is supplied untreated as standard unless otherwise noted. For microgreen and baby leaf production, substrate choice matters — see our greenhouse growing media comparison for guidance on rockwool, coco coir, and peat options suited to high-density seeding.
Ready to Order?
Browse our kale variety collection or contact us to get help selecting the right varieties for you.