Collard greens
Brassica oleracea (Viridis)
A Southern classic that shrugs off both heat and frost.
Hardiness: zones 2 to 11
Light: full sun
Size: about 3 ft tall, 2 ft wide
Harvest: June to December
From: Mediterranean
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: food.
Hardy in zones 2 to 11.
The story
Collards are the oldest cabbage form, grown by the Romans and Greeks, but their home is the American South, where enslaved West African cooks made them into a pot green with pot likker that became soul food's heart. Georgia and the Carolinas still plant them for New Year's.
Planting
Full sun, rich soil; set out plants in early spring or, better, late summer for an autumn and winter crop. Space 18 inches.
Growing
Water steadily and feed with compost. Handle cabbage worms by hand or netting. It stands frost and much of winter in the South.
Harvest and use
Pick lower leaves from the bottom as needed; sweetest after frost. Simmer long with smoked meat or quickly with garlic.
What to watch for
Cabbage worms, aphids, and harlequin bugs in the South.
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General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home