‘Bright Lights’ Swiss chard
‘Bright Lights’ swiss chard was chosen as an All-America Selection Winner in 1998 and is also the recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
Grown as an edible ornamental, you can see why it is an attractive plant for food gardens. The colours are due to plant pigments called betalains. Betalains are found only in plants belonging to the order Caryophyllales (an order is a taxonomic unit that contains a number of related families), and curiously, the fungal genus Amanita (see Genetic engineering of yellow betalain pigments beyond the species barrier in Nature, link added to this 2005 entry in 2017).
Botany resource link: Chenopodium quinoa via Purdue University’s Center for New Crops and Plant Products. In the same family as Swiss chard, quinoa deserves to be better known. With a cultivated history extending at least five millenia, quinoa was long a staple food in South America, second only in importance to maize. Displaced in recent modern times by less labour-intensive grain crops, such as wheat or barley, quinoa is experiencing a small resurgence due to its high nutritional value and oils.
I have always loved mixing edible plants with the other, ornamental plants in my gardens. This photo makes the chard look gorgeous, as well as delectable. Nice photo!
I had to laugh when i saw this plant.. of its the Chard! short and funny story. my daughter and i went to visit a friend and upon arrival at their doorstep we were greeted by a variety of lovely flowering plants as well as some very colorful Swiss Chard and Rainbow Kale. Whilst we were waiting upon the answer of the door, my daughter said, ” Oh look mommie… rainbow Kale and Chard!!!” she being a viracious vegetarian, she bend over and pluck a leaf or two and began munching. I was at first horrified she would start grazing on someone’s foliage which was obviously meant to be ornamental and then i laughed. Then i said…”Well i guess people will know “Fern has been here!” we laughed and our friend opened the door as she was munching… She too thought it was funny!
I am glad I have subscribed to this site of botanical plants. This photo of bright lights Swiss Chard is really delightful and brings exclaimation of wonder and awe to everyone who sees it in my family . Thank you.
In my part of the world (Karachi, Pakistan) we dont eat this plant. It would have been better if you had mentioned which part of this plant is edible.
Thank you for receiving my previous comment.
This particular specimen compels me to get my Vitamins A & K via the “Chard” family of nutritious foods. It looks good enough to eat! Look out Skittles! There is a new rainbow in town!
In answer to firoza’s question, you can eat the leaves and stalks. I have grown Brightlights and similar for several years, it certainly brightens up the vege garden. Here in New Zealand Swiss Chard is commonly known as Silver Beet. Rumour has it that it resulted originally from a cross between Swiss Chard and Beetroot.
May I have permission to use a small copy of your swiss chard picture in an article I am writing?
Fred, here’s the license, so it depends on the nature of your article and whether you are getting paid for it.
hola, estoy interesada en investigar acelgas Beta vulgaris var. cicla. no se si ustedes me pueden ayudar en ello.
gracias
Stunning photo – says a lot!
please i need to complete my doctoral study on this plant so i need seeds to cultivated it in egypt thanks to all.
Great foto!!i love 🙂