Chard
(or Swiss Chard), Beta vulgaris var. cicla, also known as silverbeet
or perpetual spinach is a leaf
vegetable, and is one of the cultivated descendents of the Sea
Beet, Beta vulgaris subsp. maritimis.
While
used for its leaves, it is in the same species as the garden beets, which are used for their roots, including
Mangelwurzel which is used
for animal feed and the Sugar beet which is used to
make sugar.
It
is in the plant family Chenopodiaceae along with
Spinach.
There
are several varieties of chard available for growing, but the most common is Swiss
chard. Other varieties are 'Ruby chard', 'Rainbow chard', and 'Rhubarb chard'.
Chard
has shiny green ribbed leaves, with stems that range from white to yellow and
red depending on the variety. It has a slightly bitter taste. The leaves are generally
treated in the same way as spinach and the stems like asparagus. Fresh young chard
can also be used raw in salads.
See
also
External
link
