A Visual Guide to Leafy Greens

With so many varieties of organic leafy greens coming from our local farmers each week, it can be difficult to figure out which is which. After all, they are all green and leafy!

Though these greens may appear similar at a glance, they are actually quite unique. We want to help you celebrate these special greens in all their delicious, nutritious glory, so we've put together this quick visual guide to help you identify the common greens in your produce box.

Quick Leafy Green Terminology:

• Spine: the large stem that runs through the center of the greens
• Rib: small stems that come off of the spines and run through the leaves

Kale

Curly Kale

Light green spines and ribs with rough, curly leaves.

Red or Russian Red Kale

Purple spines and ribs with flat, green leaves that protrude like fingers.

Lacinato or Dinosaur Kale

Off-white spines and ribs with slender, bumpy leaves.

Click here for kale storage tips and recipes!

Collard Greens

Light green spines and ribs with large, broad leaves.

Click here for collard greens storage tips and recipes!

Chard

Green Chard

Light green spines with small tender ribs and large paddle-shaped leaves.

Red Chard

Red spines and tender red ribs with dark green paddle-shaped leaves.

Rainbow Chard

Multicolored spines and ribs with dark green paddle-shaped leaves.

Click here for chard storage tips and recipes!

Arugula

Long, slender spines with quill-like leaves, usually packed in small bunches.

Click here for arugula storage tips and recipes!

We hope this guide will help you differentiate between the many greens that we get from our farm partners throughout the year.

Don't forget - if you're ever stumped, you can always snap a picture and send it to our leafy green experts at service@bostonorganics.com, and we'll help you out!

Download the Complete Guide to Leafy Greens