| FOOD RESOURCE COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES, OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY |
Table beets, Swiss chard, mangel-wurzels, sugar beets and foliage beets (grown for greens, not roots) all belong to the same high variable species, BETA VULGARIS L. of the Goosefoot family (CHENOPODIA CEAE). The main varieties of BETA VULGARIS are CRASSA, which is the ordinary garden beet with thickened root; CRUENTA, with root that is not highly developed but foliage that is large and showy; and CICLA with small branched roots not thick or fleshy and with very large, thick-ribbed leaves. Beets are annual as cultivated, or biennials if the roots are allowed to remain in the ground over winter.
"Early or new crop beets are usually marketed in small bunches with tops attached or partially cut back, or as topped beets in consumer size packages. The fresh, green tops of young bunched beets make excellent greens if the leaves are not discolored, turning yellow or ragged, and if leaf stems (petioles) are not tough. late crop beets are usually sold as topped beets. Medium-sized beets of the late crop are less likely to be tough or woody than either large or very small ones. Good quality beets are relatively smooth and firm. Soft, flabby, rough or shriveled beets may be tough or woody or involve excessive waste in preparation. In judging bunched beets, the condition of the tops or leaves alone does not indicate the quality of the beets, and any defects of the leaves may be disregarded when only the beets are to be utilized. Decay in beets usually appears as soft, wet areas. Beets showing any decay should be avoided.
| VARIETY | DAYS TO MATURITY | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|
| GLOBES | ||
| Red Ace | 50 | Extra-sweet, smooth, tender red roots |
| Pacemaker III | 50 | Similar to RED ACE, but taller leaves |
| Chioggia | 55 | Unique pink and white stripes inside roots |
| Golden | 55 | Gold color roots |
| Sweetheart | 58 | Extra-sweet red roots; tall greens; good storage beet |
| Ruby Queen | 60 | Uniformly round, bright red; widely adapted |
| Detroit Dark Red | 60 | Uniformly round, deep red; widely adapted |
| Albina Vereduna | 60 | White; very sweet, thick-skinned beets good for storage |
| CYLINDERS | ||
| Cylindra | 55-60 | 8 inch long, 1 3/4 inch diameter, tender red roots |
| Formonova | 55-60 | 6 inch long, 2 1/2 inch diameter, tender red roots |
| TOP | ||
| Lutz Green Leaf (Winter Keeper) | 65-80 | Large sweet roots retain flavor and texture in storage; exceptionally tall and tasty greens |
Beets contain high amounts of folic acid. It contains 100 to 150 micrograms of folic acid. Varieites such as Warrior, Pronto and Big Red contain more folic acids than others.