Homesteader's Kaleidoscopic Perennial Kale Grex Seeds

Homesteader's Kaleidoscopic Perennial Kale Grex Seeds - Brassica oleracea var. ramosa

Brassica oleracea var. ramosa

Hardy to Zone 6
Full Sun to Partial Shade
Germination Tested October 15, 2025: 100%

Approximately 70 seeds per packet

$5.50 CAD

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This kale is a joy to grow in so many ways. This mix was created by Chris Homanics by crossing perennial bush kales with several other brassicas. The genetics are diverse, containing a variety of leaf colours, shapes, and textures. All are delicious! The young leaves are good for salads, larger leaves are good for cooking or "collard" wraps. I’ve been delighted to see some variegated white, lavender, and hot pink plants, which I've been encouraging. Almost all the plants are perennial, meaning that even after they flower in their second year, they continue to grow and produce tasty leaves. You can cut off and eat the flower buds to keep the plant producing leaves instead of seeds.

The plants grow large and most are branching and bushy or a palm tree shape, and can be pruned if desired to be more compact. As they grow tall, most plants will flop over and root along the stem where they touch the ground. To keep the plants more upright, they can be staked.

The plants eventually lose their vigour after a few years, but your favourite plants can be propagated by woody stem cuttings almost any time of year. Just stick the cuttings in the ground and keep moist.

You can select your favourite individuals from this diverse mix and create your own perennial kale variety!

I've been selecting for colourful and variegated leaves for the last few years, as well as a perennial growth habit. There is likely a small amount of the hot pink Candy Floss Kale genetics in this population, which is a biennial, but it seems to be a minimal amount based on my grow outs.

Bees and other pollinators, like mason bees, love the flowers. When flowering, the plants can reach 6-8 feet tall. The flowers, buds, and flowering stems are very tasty. Try eating them raw, or use like broccolini in stir fries etc.

Please let me know if you come across any very colourful, cold hardy, or otherwise interesting individuals. I'd love to know what this kale does in your conditions.

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This seed has been released under the Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI) license to keep it out of the hands of multinational seed corporations, and keep it in the hands of the people. The pledge states: “You have the freedom to use these OSSI-Pledged seeds in any way you choose. In return, you pledge not to restrict other's use of these seeds or their derivatives by patents or other means, and to include this pledge with any transfer of these seeds or their derivatives.” More information on OSSI can be found at osseeds.org.

There kale is part of a collaborative breeding project through the Experimental Farm Network. Learn more and get involved here: https://www.experimentalfarmnetwork.org/project/14

Growing Instructions

Start indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost date, and transplant when soil warms up. Or direct sow in early spring to mid summer. Sow about 1/4 inch deep. The plants prefer full sun, but can also do well in part shade. It is recommended to plant them 3 feet apart because they are so vigorous and can grow quite wide and tall, but they can be thinned as they grow, and/or pruned to keep them compact.

Shipping & Returns

By placing an order, customers agree to the shipping & refund policies detailed on this page.

Most orders are sent via Canada Post to keep costs low.

Shipping within Canada

We ship seeds in Canada via Canada Post's regular letter mail, which is an untracked service, and usually takes 1-3 weeks to arrive once we fulfill your order, but occasionally orders take longer, especially to the Eastern provinces and rural areas.

Customers can now opt for tracked, express shipping options at checkout if you require faster delivery.

Larger bulbs and plants are usually sent via tracked flat rate box.

Shipping to the US

We require all US shoppers to obtain a Small Seed Lot Import Permit before we can mail your seeds. It's free to apply, and you will likely be granted the permit instantly, although some require additional verification via mail.

We recommend obtaining a permit BEFORE placing your order.

Please email your permit and shipping label PDFs to us promptly before or after you order.

If you do not email us your permit documents after one week, we will refund your order minus a $10 processing charge.

How to apply for your Small Seed Lot Import Permit:

Please follow these instructions carefully so you don't end up with the wrong type of permit!
Go to https://efile.aphis.usda.gov/s/
Select PPQ-587 in the dropdown menu and click "Get Started".
Please use the exact same name and address as on your order.
Login and follow the instructions to obtain a permit.
Under the Commodity Type drop down, make sure you select the "Small Lots of Seed". See screenshot below.
It's best to list "Eligible Taxa" instead of listing all the species you'd like to import so you don't need to worry about missing any species you ordered.
Once you receive your permit, promptly email us 2 PDFs: a copy of your permit and a copy of the yellow/green shipping labels. Tell us which USDA station you want us to send the seeds to. If not mentioned we will choose one close to you. Our email is grow@cicadaseeds.ca
Once we've accepted your documents, please contact the plant inspection station we are shipping to and let them know to expect your shipment. Station phone numbers can be found here (Scroll down to the "Contact Us" section near the bottom and select the state). This reminds stations to check for your package, otherwise they may forget about it.

What happens next?

After receiving your documentation, we will mail your seeds to an inspection facility in the US. We will ship via tracked parcel, and you will receive the tracking number when your order has shipped. Orders will be mailed first to a plant inspection facility in the US. You will receive a delivery notification to the STATION, not your address. So don't worry if your package has been "delivered" but you can't find it anywhere in your yard. The station will then inspect your seeds then forward the package to your address via regular mail without tracking available.

The mail and inspection process can take several weeks, depending on how long the inspection takes.

Unfortunately we are not able to replace seeds that are confiscated, destroyed, or returned by US customs or USPS, or for any additional duties or tariffs placed on your order. We do our very best to follow the regulations, but occasionally USDA staff or USPS will destroy seeds without cause. We want to keep making our seeds available to the US, but to do so we must let the customer accept this risk. Thanks for your understanding.

Need help? Contact the APHIS plant permit team at:

EMAIL: plantproducts.permits@usda.gov

PHONE: 877-770-5990

Shipping Internationally

International customers can select tracked or untracked shipping at checkout. The package will list the contents as "Garden Seeds". It is your responsibility to ensure you have the required import permit. We are not able to send any live plant materials internationally. Cicada Seeds will not be responsible for any orders held or confiscated by customs, or for any additional duties or tariffs placed on your order.

International shipping countries include: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom.

This list may change without notice. Sometimes Canada Post will not allow us to ship to certain countries due to wars or natural disasters, see this page for delivery service alerts.

Please reach out if your country is not on this list, email us and we will try to arrange an alternate shipping option.

Refund Policy

Refunds: We stand behind our seeds, so if for some reason you are not satisfied with your purchase, please reach out to us via email and we will do our best to make it right. Please note that shipping costs are non-refundable.

Cancelled orders: If you wish to cancel an order after purchasing, we may refund your order minus card processing and admin fees at our discretion.

Refused orders: We cannot issue a refund if you refuse to accept an order we've sent to you, or made available for local pickup.

Incorrect addresses: Please double check your mailing address, and let us know ASAP if you've entered an incorrect address at checkout. We may need to charge for additional shipping fees to resend orders.