Our 50-or-so plants are now about three years old and have become big, gangly bushes. That and pruning to keep them from getting too heavy with leaves make them one of the easiest plants to grow and why they are the “star” of the permaculture movement.Īll of the tree collards in our Napa Garden - Tree Collard Powder was grown by me in our Napa garden. Tree collards are also one of the plants richest in calcium, something the gardener quickly discovers because the only care they require is the yearly application of a handful of calcium-rich bone meal. ![]() Tree collards are resistant to most of the usual diseases and pests that tend to plague the other brassicas members, even shrugging off all but the most intense invasion of aphids. The purple color means it is particularly good at making those sulfur-rich compounds. At the ends of their numerous branches are clusters of dark green leaves with a purple tinge. As the years go on, they become a woody, gangly shrub, easily reaching heights of 10 to 12 feet. They are an exceptionally hardy plant, easily withstanding temperatures as low as -15 degrees F. Native to Africa, they continue to grow for up to 15 years. Tree collards are essentially collard greens that have “forgotten” how to go to seed. Cabbage, collards, Brussels sprouts, etc., all concentrate the sulfur-rich chemicals that turn out to be so important in helping to prevent such diseases as cataracts, heart disease and cancer. We all have heard about the robust disease-fighting abilities of the brassicas family of vegetables. Tree collards are one such example of a super food, a perennial vegetable waiting to be discovered. ![]() What we really want from our vegetables - in addition to flavor - is the concentrated disease-fighting substances that all plants make to help them survive. None of these parameters are beneficial for health. ![]() Our modern vegetables have been bred to be shipped long distances, to be stored, and to have a higher sugar content to “improve” flavor. Cowan’s Garden is to introduce wild, perennial and other unusual vegetables into the American diet because these vegetables tend to be more nutrient dense than common garden vegetables and richer in disease-fighting phytonutrients.
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