'Golden Grex' Beet

Beta vulgaris Origin: Oregon, via Maine Improvement status: Grex/Breeding material Seeds per packet: ~120 Germination tested 11/2024: 82% Life cycle: Biennial A vigorous, delicious, and brightly colored gold beet. This population was selected from Fedco's golden breeding stock of Dr. Alan Kapular's triple cross of Yellow Intermediate, Crosby Purple Egyptian and Lutz Saladleaf. "Grex" is a term originally coined for orchid breeding that implies a constant reshuffling of traits in a highly diverse population of interbreeding varieties. Grexes are invaluable for plant breeders, but also for subsistence farmers who can rely on them to produce a resilient crop. Interior is a mix of white and golden rings, with the possibility for red and golden rings as well. The diversity of this population means it is ripe for further breeding and selection. Seed was grown for us by Clint Freund and Kass McKinnon of Cultivating the Commons in Madison, Wisconsin, who call this their farm's "go-to" golde