Lacinato Kale
Brassica oleracea var. acephala 'Lacinato'
Also known as 'Dinosaur Kale' or 'Tuscan Kale', this Italian heirloom features distinctive dark blue-green leaves with a pebbled texture resembling reptilian skin. The narrow, strap-like leaves have a sweeter, more tender flavor than curly kale and become incredibly sweet after frost exposure. An absolute must-have for the health-conscious gardener seeking both nutrition and gourmet flavor.
Harvest
60-90d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun to partial shade
Zones
6–9
USDA hardiness
Height
10-24 inches
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Lacinato Kale in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 brassica →Zone Map
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Lacinato Kale · Zones 6–9
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | April – May | June – July | June – July | August – September |
| Zone 2 | April – May | June – July | May – July | August – September |
| Zone 11 | January – January | January – February | January – February | March – December |
| Zone 12 | January – January | January – February | January – February | March – December |
| Zone 13 | January – January | January – February | January – February | March – December |
| Zone 3 | March – April | May – June | May – June | July – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | May – June | April – June | July – October |
| Zone 5 | February – March | April – May | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 6 | February – March | April – May | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – May | March – May | June – November |
| Zone 8 | January – February | March – April | March – April | May – December |
| Zone 9 | January – January | February – March | February – March | April – December |
| Zone 10 | January – January | February – March | January – March | April – December |
Succession Planting
In zone 7, start kale indoors in late February to early March, then direct-sow or transplant again in mid-to-late July for a fall crop. The UGA Vegetable Garden Calendar flags August as the window to start brassicas like kale for September transplanting. To back-calculate: if your first frost lands around November 15 and days to harvest run 60–90, transplants need to go in the ground no later than mid-August to get a full harvest before hard freeze.
Lacinato keeps producing off the same plant for months once established, so you don't need to stagger sowings the way you would with lettuce or radishes. Two plantings a year — one in early spring, one in late summer — covers it. If your summers push past 90°F before the spring planting hits 60 days, don't bother with that first round; the heat won't kill the plants, but the leaves toughen and turn bitter well before they're worth eating.
Complete Growing Guide
Lacinato kale thrives when planted in late summer for fall and winter harvest, as cool temperatures dramatically enhance its natural sweetness—a key advantage over spring plantings. While standard brassica care applies, this Italian heirloom shows exceptional cold hardiness, producing tender leaves well into hard freezes that would damage curly varieties. Plant in full sun with rich, well-draining soil amended with compost, spacing 12-18 inches apart. Watch for cabbage loopers and flea beetles, which favor lacinato's tender foliage more aggressively than tougher brassicas; consider row covers during establishment. Unlike some kales, lacinato has a tendency to bolt prematurely if stressed by inconsistent moisture or excessive heat, so maintain even watering and mulch heavily to regulate soil temperature. A practical tip: harvest outer leaves regularly once plants reach 12 inches tall, which encourages bushier growth and prevents the leggy, stretched appearance common in neglected plants.
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 0 ft. 10 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 12 inches-3 feet. Growth rate: Medium. Maintenance: Medium. Propagation: Seed, Stem Cutting. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
Lacinato kale reaches peak harvest readiness when its distinctive blue-green leaves display a fully developed pebbled texture and measure 8-12 inches in length, feeling firm yet tender to the touch. The dark coloration intensifies as leaves mature, signaling optimal nutrient density and sweetness. For continuous harvesting, pinch or cut outer leaves from the base upward, leaving the central growing crown intact to encourage new leaf production throughout the season. Single harvesting of entire plants is also viable if timing permits. A crucial timing tip: harvest after the first frost or cold snap when temperatures dip below 32°F, as this cold exposure converts starches to sugars, dramatically enhancing the already mild flavor and creating the trademark sweetness that distinguishes Lacinato from other kale varieties.
The fruits dry and split when ripe.
Color: Brown/Copper, Green. Type: Siliqua. Length: > 3 inches.
Garden value: Edible
Harvest time: Fall, Summer
Edibility: The foliage is edible raw or cooked but when cooked can emit an unpleasant odor.
Storage & Preservation
Fresh lacinato kale keeps 7-10 days refrigerated when stored properly. Remove any yellowed leaves, wash and dry thoroughly, then wrap in paper towels inside perforated plastic bags. Store in your refrigerator's crisper drawer at 32-35°F with high humidity.
For freezing, blanch whole leaves in boiling water for 2 minutes, shock in ice water, then drain and pack flat in freezer bags. Frozen lacinato maintains quality for 10-12 months and works excellently in soups and smoothies.
Dehydrating creates exceptional kale chips—massage leaves with olive oil and sea salt, then dry at 125°F for 4-6 hours until crispy. Lacto-fermentation preserves both nutrition and develops complex flavors: pack chopped leaves in 2% salt brine for 3-5 days at room temperature before refrigerating.
History & Origin
This Italian heirloom variety emerged from traditional Mediterranean vegetable cultivation, particularly in Tuscany, where it has been grown for centuries as part of regional culinary heritage. While specific breeder documentation and introduction dates remain sparse in horticultural records, Lacinato belongs to the diverse Brassica oleracea var. acephala lineage that encompasses all non-heading kales. The variety's distinctive pebbled texture and sweet flavor profile developed through generations of farmer selection in Italian growing regions, reflecting adaptation to local climate and taste preferences. Its widespread commercial availability today stems largely from European seed companies recognizing the variety's culinary merit during the late twentieth-century specialty produce movement, though precise documentation of its formal introduction to commercial seed catalogs varies by source.
Origin: W. Europe
Advantages
- +Sweeter, milder flavor than curly kale with less bitterness
- +Distinctive pebbled texture and dark blue-green leaves add visual appeal
- +Becomes exceptionally sweet after frost exposure for improved taste
- +Tender leaves require less cooking time than other kale varieties
- +Easy to grow with moderate 60-90 day maturity window
Considerations
- -Vulnerable to multiple pests including cabbage worms and flea beetles
- -Susceptible to clubroot and downy mildew in wet conditions
- -Requires consistent pest management to prevent leaf damage and loss
Companion Plants
Garlic and onions do real work here. Their sulfur compounds confuse aphids and cabbage moths that would otherwise zero in on brassica foliage — plant them 6–8 inches off the kale and they pull their weight without competing for root space. Nasturtiums serve a different function: they draw aphids onto themselves, concentrating the infestation in one spot instead of letting it spread across the whole bed. Tagetes patula (French marigold) is worth adding if that bed has a history of root-knot nematodes; NC State Extension IPM notes recommend solid plantings of French marigolds to suppress nematode populations before returning susceptible crops to a bed.
Tomatoes are the main thing to keep separated from Lacinato. Both are heavy feeders competing for calcium and nitrogen at the same root depth, and there's evidence of allelopathic interference running both directions. Pole beans fix nitrogen, which sounds like it should help, but they actively suppress brassica growth — keep them at least 3 feet away.
Plant Together
Garlic
Repels cabbage worms and aphids, improves soil health around kale
Lettuce
Makes efficient use of space as ground cover, doesn't compete for nutrients
Nasturtiums
Acts as trap crop for aphids and flea beetles, protecting kale from these common pests
Marigolds
Repels cabbage worms, aphids, and other brassica pests with strong scent
Onions
Deters cabbage moths, aphids, and cabbage loopers with sulfur compounds
Dill
Attracts beneficial insects like parasitic wasps that prey on cabbage worms
Carrots
Different root depths prevent competition, carrots loosen soil for kale
Celery
Repels cabbage moths and white butterflies that lay eggs on brassicas
Keep Apart
Tomatoes
Compete for similar nutrients and can stunt kale growth, may harbor similar pests
Strawberries
Kale can inhibit strawberry growth and fruit production through root competition
Pole Beans
Can shade kale excessively and compete for nitrogen despite being nitrogen-fixers
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #168421)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Excellent cold tolerance, good disease resistance overall
Common Pests
Cabbage worms, aphids, flea beetles, leaf miners
Diseases
Clubroot, downy mildew, alternaria leaf spot
Troubleshooting Lacinato Kale
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Leaves riddled with small, irregular holes — especially on young transplants in spring or fall
Likely Causes
- Flea beetles (Phyllotreta spp.) — tiny, jumping beetles that feed aggressively on brassica seedlings
- Cabbage worms (Pieris rapae larvae) — look for pale green caterpillars and white butterfly activity nearby
What to Do
- 1.Cover transplants immediately with row cover (Agribon AG-19 or similar) and seal the edges — flea beetles will find even a 2-inch gap
- 2.Hand-pick cabbage worms in the morning when they're easiest to spot; drop them in soapy water
- 3.Apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) as a foliar spray for cabbage worm pressure; it won't touch flea beetles but will stop the caterpillars within 24-48 hours
Gray-purple fuzzy coating on the undersides of leaves, with yellow patches on top — usually showing up in cool, wet stretches
Likely Causes
- Downy mildew (Peronospora parasitica) — a water mold that thrives below 65°F with high humidity and poor airflow
- Crowded planting at less than 12 inches apart, which keeps foliage wet longer after rain or irrigation
What to Do
- 1.Strip and bag (don't compost) affected leaves as soon as you see them — the spores spread fast in wet conditions
- 2.Switch to drip or base watering, and water in the morning so leaves dry before nightfall
- 3.Give plants the full 18-inch spacing next time around; at 12 inches this disease shows up every cool, rainy stretch
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does lacinato kale take to grow from seed?▼
Can you grow lacinato kale in containers?▼
What does lacinato kale taste like compared to curly kale?▼
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Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
Where to Buy Seeds
Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.