Beetroot Varieties
Root shapes range from long and cylindrical to short and spherical. Choose short varieties for stony soil. In addition to the common red beet varieties, colors range from gold and yellow to white. Some varieties are favored for their greens, others for their long-term storage.
| Beets | Beets Description | Days to Maturity |
| 3 Root Grex | Three-way cross combines genetics and colors from heirloom varieties 'Yellow Intermediate', ' Crosby Purple Egyptian'and 'Lutz Saladleaf'. Plants produce 3 1/2-inch by 7- to 8-inch roots. | Days to Maturity: 54 |
| Action | Hybrid. Dark red, vigorous roots with well-attached tops for greens. Resistant to bolting. | Days to Maturity: 50 |
| Albina Vereduna | Heirloom ?albino? beet from Holland. Plants produce 4-inch, globe-shaped, white roots and paddle-shaped, apple-green leaves. | Days to Maturity: 50 - 60 |
| Albino | Plants produce white roots. | Days to Maturity: 50 |
| Always Tender | Extra large, rough-skinned roots. Not suitable for midsummer use but fall crops remain sweet during winter storage. | Days to Maturity: 75 |
| Asgrow Wonder | Open pollinated. Small, semi-globe red roots. Tall tops are dark green bunch easily. | Days to Maturity: 57 |
| Baby Ball | Mini, round, red beets mature at 1 to 1 1/2 inches. Harvest roots or greens. | Days to Maturity: 55 |
| Badger Flame | Beta vulgaris. Tapered yellow orange beet. 1.5" wide and 4" long root. Bred by Irwin Goldman of the University of Wisconsin. About 55 days to maturity. | Days to Maturity: 55 |
| Big Top | Uniform, deep red roots. Extra-tall, bright green tops can be harvested early. | Days to Maturity: 55 |
| Blankoma White |
Round, pure white roots with faint green root crowns. Green tops are tall. | Days to Maturity: 55 |
| Boldor | Beta vulgaris. Open pollinated. Light orange or yellow specialty beet. Keeps color when cooked. Disease resistant variety. Resistance to Cercospora Leaf Spot. About 55 days to maturity. | Days to Maturity: 55 |
| Boltardy | Dutch variety produces deep red, ringless roots. Stores well. Bolt resistant. | Days to Maturity: 60 |
| Boro | Beta vulgaris. Hybrid. Round red beet. Disease resistant variety. Resistance to Cercospora leaf spot. About 50 days to maturity. | Days to Maturity: 50 |
| Bull's Blood | Open-pollinated heirloom. Dual purpose. Round, red, small, uniform, sweet candy-striped roots. Glossy reddish-purple tops ready for harvest in 35 days. Produces deep red dye. | Days to Maturity: 35 - 60 |
| Burpee's Golden |
3-inch golden roots that do not bleed. Tops are good raw or cooked. | Days to Maturity: 50 - 55 |
| Carillon |
Space-saving variety produces long, cylindrical, dark-colored, sweet, easy-to-peel roots. Shape good for pickles and relishes. | Days to Maturity: NA |
| Centurion |
Hybrid. Uniform, small, round, blood red, does not bleed. Slow to oversize. Short 12- to 14-inch tops for bunching. | Days to Maturity: 53 |
| Chariot |
Hybrid. Detroit short-top type. Globe-shaped, dark-red roots with smooth crowns. Upright, short tops excellent for bunching. | Days to Maturity: 54 |
| Chicago Red |
Hybrid. Lush, green tops resistant to disease and good for cooked greens. | Days to Maturity: 49 |
| Chioggia |
Heirloom. Early, flattish-round beet with light red skin and concentric pink and white rings inside. Tops are green with pink-striped stems. About 55 days to maturity. Also known as 'Candystripe,' 'Bassano' and 'Barbietola de Chioggia'. | Days to Maturity: 55 |
| Chioggia Guardsmark |
Improved Chioggia-type. Plants produce 3- to 3 1/2-inch diameter, globe-shaped roots with magenta and white bullseye-pattern in cross section. Roots are larger and higher-yielding than Chioggia. Harvest for greens, too. | Days to Maturity: 60 |
| Coke's Golden |
Similar to 'Burpee's Golden'. Plants produce 3-inch golden roots. Tops are good raw or cooked. | Days to Maturity: 55 |
| Crosby's Green Top |
Plants produce dark red, flattened, globe-shaped roots and glossy freen tops for spring, summer and fall crops. Also known as 'Crosby Greentop'. | Days to Maturity: 60 |
| Crosby's Egyptian |
Early heirloom produces large, heart-shaped, dark red roots with some lighter zones. | Days to Maturity: 50 - 60 |
| Cylindra |
Long, cylindrical, dark red, 5- to 8-inch by 1 3/4- to 2-inch roots. Also known as 'Formanova'. | Days to Maturity: 55 - 70 |
| Detroit Dark Red |
Open-pollinated heirloom. Nearly uniform, smooth, globe-shaped, deep-red roots up to 3 inches across. 12- to 15-inch, green tops with maroon tinge. Stores well. | Days to Maturity: 58 - 63 |
| Detroit Supreme |
Open pollinated. Smooth, globe-shaped roots with excellent color. Tops are green with maroon tinge. | Days to Maturity: 59 |
| Eagle |
Darkish red interior color has no visible zoning. Small roots are very uniform for size, shape and maturity. The dark green tops measure approximately 14-16" tall and have red veining. Hybrid | Days to Maturity: 50 - 54 |
| Early Blood Turnip |
Heirloom with dark red flesh. | Days to Maturity: 48 - 68 |
| Early Wonder |
Open-pollinated. Round, red, slightly flattened, early roots with tall, red-veined, purple tops. Also known as 'Early Wonder Tall Top'. | Days to Maturity: 45 - 50 |
| Early Yellow Intermediate Mangel |
Heirloom. 12- to 18-inch plants produce large, oval, white-fleshed roots with grey-green shoulders and orange base. | Days to Maturity: NA |
| Egitto migliorata |
Plants produce very flat, solid, red roots. Also known as 'Improved Egyptian'. | Days to Maturity: 55 - 60 |
| Falcon |
Beta vulgaris. Globe shaped red beet. Main season, heat tolerant variety. About 60 days to maturity. | Days to Maturity: 60 |
| Feuer Kugel |
(Beta vulgaris) Smooth-skinned round roots that remain sweet and tender to a large size have darker red exterior and lighter red interior with occasional concentric white zoning. About 60 days to maturity from direct seeding. | Days to Maturity: 60 |
| First Crop |
Uniform, globe-shaped, deep-red roots. For early market bunching and for greens. | Days to Maturity: 45 |
| Flat of Egypt |
Early-season heirloom. Plants with short leafy tops produce flattened, 3-inch, crimson-purple roots. | Days to Maturity: NA |
| Forono |
Smooth, deep-purple, cylindrical, 5- to 8-inch by 2- to 3-inch roots that should be harvested young and don't keep well. Sweeter than other cylindrical beets. Medium-tall tops with red veins. Also known as 'Forona' and 'Cook's Delight'. | Days to Maturity: 55 |
| Golden |
Orange-yellow root with yellow-stemmed, green tops used in salads when small. | Days to Maturity: 55 |
| Golden Detroit |
Specialty beet. Plants produce round, orange roots that turn deep yellow when cooked and green leaves with yellow stems used in salad or cooked. | Days to Maturity: 55 |
| Golden Globe |
Plants produce 2-inch, golden-skinned and -fleshed roots with sweet, mild flavor. Introduced in the 1940s. | Days to Maturity: 55 |
| Green Top Bunching |
Open pollinated. Dual-purpose with bright-red roots and bright-green, medium tops. | Days to Maturity: 53 |
| India Spinach |
Warm-season green from India. (Not a true beet.) Fast-growing plants produce green leaves in 25 to 30 days and second cuttings 15 to 20 days later. | Days to Maturity: 25 - 30 |
| Iride |
Open-pollinated selection of 'Detroit Dark Red'. Smooth globe shape with deep rich beet color. Strong tops tinged with maroon. | Days to Maturity: NA |
| Jewel -Toned |
Mixture of burgundy, gold and candy-striped beets. Harvest greens or roots at any size. | Days to Maturity: 55 |
| Jupiter |
Deep red color and a dark red stalk. | Days to Maturity: 50 |
| Kestrel F1 Beet |
Hybrid. Dark red, rounded, roots harvested for smooth baby beets or full size with small crown and no zoning . Use for early bunching. Bright green 12- to 13-inch tops are semi-glossy. Tolerant of downy mildew, powdery mildew, bolting, cercospora, rhizoctonia. Also known as 'Kestral'. | Days to Maturity: 53 |
| Kestrel F1 Beet |
Days to Maturity: NA | |
| Letherman's Green Top |
Bright green, 15- to 18-inch tops make excellent greens and produce slightly flattened, globe-shaped bright red roots. | Days to Maturity: 58 |
| Little Chicago |
Hybrid. Baby 1 1/2-inch beets. | Days to Maturity: 53 |
| Long Season |
Slow grower producing sweet, tender roots even when large. Stores well. | Days to Maturity: 78 - 80 |
| Lutz Green Leaf |
Slow grower producing 4- to 6-inch, slightly elongated globe-shaped roots and dark-green, chard-like leaves with no purple. Stores well. Also known as 'Lutz', 'Lutz Winter Keeper' and 'Lutz Salad Leaf'. | Days to Maturity: 60 - 80 |
| Macgregor's Favorite |
Scottish variety grown for greens. Plants produce elongated, narrow, glossy, nearly iridescent purple leaves. | Days to Maturity: 65 |
| Mammoth Red Mangel |
Heirloom. Plants produce roots weighing up to 20 pounds for livestock feed or can be picked small for table use. Also known as 'Colossal Red Mangel'. | Days to Maturity: 90 |
| Merlin |
Early maturing hybrid produces round red beets with high sugar content. Drought and downy mildew tolerant. | Days to Maturity: 55 |
| Moneta |
Hybrid. Uniform-sized roots with dark-red interior. 13- to 14-inch tops. Highly disease resistant. | Days to Maturity: 47 |
| Pablo |
Hybrid. Extra-early 'baby' beet with smooth, deep-red roots, small crowns and medium, deep-red tops. | Days to Maturity: 45 |
| Pacemaker III |
Hybrid. 12-inch plants with ruby-veined leaves produce round, red roots with no zoning. Resistant to downy mildew and Cercospora leaf spot. | Days to Maturity: 55 |
| Paonazza d'Egitto |
Plants produce medium-sized, bright purple roots with concentric lighter circles when young. | Days to Maturity: 45 |
| Pronto |
Fast-growing plants produce 3- to 6-inch, burgundy, flattened-globe to round roots that tapers subtly. Retains uniform size long after ready to harvest. Dark green leaves with deep red petioles. | Days to Maturity: 55 - 65 |
| Pronto Baby |
Round red beet that can be harvested about 1 inch in diameter around 55 days after planting, or allowed to grow larger. Greens are delicious too. | Days to Maturity: 50 - 55 |
| Red Ace |
Hybrid. Detroit short top type with vigorous early growth. Dark red, extremely smooth exterior and deep red interior with no zoning. 14-inch erect green tops with some red tinges. Resistant to heat and bolting. High disease tolerance. | Days to Maturity: 50 - 54 |
| Red Cloud |
Hybrid. Bolt-resistant plants produce sweet, round, smooht, dark reddish-purple roots with no zoning. | Days to Maturity: 50 - 60 |
| Red Heart |
Hybrid. Elongated 3 inch roots. | Days to Maturity: 58 |
| Robin |
Early red hybrid | Days to Maturity: 60 |
| Rodina |
Hybrid. Smooth, tubular 6- to 8-inch by 2 1/2-inches roots with dark red color and blunt end. Dark green tops are slow to bolt and disease tolerant. | Days to Maturity: 50 - 58 |
| Rosette |
Hybrid. Roots retain color and shape well. Dark green medium tops. | Days to Maturity: 68 |
| Rote Kuge |
Swiss storage variety. Plants produce large, smooth-skinned, red-fleshed roots. | Days to Maturity: 65 |
| Ruby Queen |
Open-pollinated. Deep-red, globe-shaped roots with small crowns. Short, dark-green tops. All American Selection. | Days to Maturity: 60 |
| Scarlet Prince |
Round red type. Plants produce smooth, globe-shaped roots. | Days to Maturity: NA |
| Scarlet Supreme |
Hybrid. Detroit short top type. Smooth, globe-shaped roots. | Days to Maturity: 48 - 52 |
| Scarlet Supreme Tall Top |
Early, round, red hybrid. Plants with bright green tops produce round, red roots. | Days to Maturity: 50 |
| Shiraz Tall Top |
Plants with tall, tender, green leaves produce 3- to 4-inch, globe to round, burgundy to purple roots with dark red interiors. | Days to Maturity: 55 - 60 |
| Solo |
Mono-germ hybrid. Round, dark-red roots with good interior color. 14-inch, dark-green tops. For bunching or processing. Disease tolerant. | Days to Maturity: 50 |
| Touchstone Gold |
Open-pollinated. Specialty beet. Plants with green leaves and petioles produce smooth, round roots with golden interior. About 55 days to maturity. | Days to Maturity: 55 |
| Warrior |
Hybrid. Dark-red, globe-shaped, smooth-textured, uniform, tender roots develop quickly and hold quality. Strong tops tinged with red, especially in cold weather. | Days to Maturity: 57 |
| Yellow Cylindrical |
Heirloom European mangel beet. Plants produce very large, oblong, golden-yellow roots used for livestock feed or for the table if picked small. Greens can be harvested as well. | Days to Maturity: NA |
| Yellow Mangel |
French heirloom grown for both roots and greens. Plants produce 2- to 8-inch, yellow-skinned, white-fleshed roots up to 10 pounds. Milder, more subtle flavor than red beets. Large chard-like leaves cooked for greens. Roots keep well. | Days to Maturity: 65 - 70 |
| Zeppo |
F1 hybrid. Early round red type root with a smooth, dark red exterior with few root hairs. Glossy medium green tops. About 50 to 55 days to maturity. | Days to Maturity: 50 - 55 |