Vegetable Cultivar Descriptions for North America – Beet

Lists 1-27 Combined

Edited by Irwin Goldman

Department of Horticulture
University of Wisconsin
Madison, WI 53706

Action – Breeder: Bejo. Characteristics: F1 hybrid, round shape, dark red interior, disease resistance; multipurpose beet, high bolting resistance.

Avenger – Breeder: Harris Moran. Characteristics: F1 hybrid, flattened globe shape, tall, full, glossy green tops, developed for the bunching and greens markets, developed from germplasm from the University of Wisconsin beet breeding program.

Big Red – Breeder: W.H. Gabelman, University of Wisconsin, Madison. Characteristics: F1 hybrid, round shape, dark red interior, high sugar content, bright green glossy leaf, sweet flavor, multipurpose beet, high yield potential.

Big Top – Breeder and vendor: Johnny’s Selected Seeds. 1999.

Bikores – Breeder: Bejo. Characteristics: round shape, dark red interior, strong tops, bolt resistant.

Bolivar – Breeder: Nunhems Zaden. Vendor: Nunhems Zaden. Characteristics: round multigerm suited for processing, very uniform, smooth skin, deep red internal color, very strong plant type, upright leaves, very slow bolting. 1989.

Burpee Redhart – Breeder and vendor: W. Atlee Burpee Company, Philadelphia. Parentage: selection from Crosbys Egyptian. Characteristics: good uniformity of shape; dark interior color. Similar: Crosbys Egyptian. Adaptation: wide. Burpee Catalog, 1953.

Burpee White – Breeder and vendor: W. Atlee Burpee Company, Philadelphia. Characteristics: white roots, top shaped with rather coarse rattail, green tops, flesh white with sweetest taste of any table beet. Burpee Catalog, 1952.

Cardenal – Breeder and vendor: Petoseed. Parentage: line selection over years out of Ruby Queen. Characteristics: open pollinated, early maturing; for bunching, processing, home garden; tops 10 to 12″ tall, fiber-free, smooth root, keeps shape well; very good interior color even under stress conditions. Similar: Ruby Queen. Adaptation: wide. 1978.

Centurion (PS 589) – Breeder and vendor: Seminis Vegetable Seeds-Petoseed. Parentage: F1 hybrid. Characteristics: bunching, tops 12 to 14 inches tall, round shape, clean leaves, early maturity, blood red interior color, does not bleed. Similar: Little Ball. Adaptation: U.S., France. 1999.

Chariot (PS 185) – Breeder and vendor: Seminis Vegetable Seeds-Petoseed. Parentage: F1 hybrid. Characteristics: processing, bunching, upright foliage, blood red interior, medium tall, globe shaped top, uniform smooth crowns, late maturity. Similar: Red Ace. Adaptation: Pacific northwest, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, New Jersey. 1999.

Chicago Red – Breeder: Burpee. Characteristics: purple red, roots elongated, extra sweet.

Chioggia – Characteristics: flattened globe shape, medium green leaf, zoned purple and white bullseye appearance, novelty color. Resistance: high tolerance to bolting.

Citation – Breeder: Northrup King and Company, Minneapolis. Characteristics: red, very smooth and round, small tap root; tops 12 to 13″ tall, bright dark green; suited for distance shipping; Boston Crosby type. Amer. Vegetable Grower, Nov. 1963. 1962.

Crosby Green Too – Breeder and vendor: Joseph Harris Company, Rochester, New York. Parentage: Crosbys Egyptian. Characteristics: green top under adverse weather conditions. Similar: Crosby. Adaptation: eastern United States. Harris Catalog, 1951.

Crosbys Egyptian – Characteristics: top shape, dark red interior, dark green matte leaf, early maturity. Resistance: low tolerance to bolting

Cylindra – Characteristics: blunt cylinder, purple-dark red interior, dark green matte leaf, high yield. Resistance: tolerance to downy mildew, moderate tolerance to bolting.

Cyndor – Characteristics: blunt cylinder, dark red interior, medium green matte leaf, resists curved root. Resistance: high tolerance to bolting.

Darko – Breeder: Vilmorin. Characteristics: globe shape, bright red interior. Resistance: good tolerance to bolting.

Detroit Dark Red – Characteristics: globe, dark red interior, dark green matte leaf, multipurpose beet. Resistance: high tolerance to bolting, tolerance to cercospora leaf spot, moderate tolerance to downy mildew. Adaptation: wide.

Detroit Short Top – Characteristics: globe, purple interior, medium dark green glossy leaf, strong tops. Resistance: moderate tolerance to downy mildew, moderate bolting tolerance.

Detroit Supreme – Breeder and vendor: Alf Christianson Co. Characteristics: open pollinated, root color very even and dark, very smooth, good dark outside color; shape round to somewhat high-round; leaves medium length with small root attachments, long petioles. Resistance: downy mildew; tolerance to Peronospora farinosa f. sp. Betea. Similar: Detroit Dark Red. Adaptation: wide. 1984.

Early Wonder Staysgreen – Breeder: Northrup King and Co. Parentage: selection from Early Wonder. Characteristics: selected for improved leaf color; leaves stay green longer during cool weather than other cultivars. Similar: Early Wonder. 1961.

Early Wonder Tall Top – Characteristics: flat globe, medium red interior, medium green slightly glossy leaf, durable tops, low bolting tolerance.

Eastern Wonder – Breeder and vendor: Eastern States Farmers Exchange, West Springfield, Massachusetts. Parentage: three roots selected from Asgrow Wonder followed by intensive reselection. Characteristics: flat globe root, fine tap root, medium to small collar, uniform interior color, medium tall tops. Similar: Early Wonder. Adaptation: sandy loam to medium loam soils. Eastern States Coop., January. 1953.

Etna (PS 2189) – Breeder and vendor: Seminis Vegetable Seeds.  Parentage: hybrid.  Characteristics: dull, glossy green leaves; 14 to 16 inches tall; very strong leaf attachment for easy pulling; nice blood red interior color; excellent round shape for small beet processors; early maturity.  Similar: Little Ball, Red Ace.  Adaptation: NAFTA.  2005.

Formanova – Breeder: L.Daehnfeldt, Odense, Denmark. Vendor: Pieters-Wheeler Seed Co. Characteristics: half long, cylindrical shaped with dark-red interior and almost no zoning; excellent for canning and freezing. Similar: Cylindra. L.Daehnfeldt, Ltd., July 1963.

Forono – Characteristics: cylindrical root, excellent dark red interior, processing beet.

Garnet – Breeder: Pieters-Wheeler Seed Company, Gilroy, California. Characteristics: exterior of root very smooth while interior is extremely dark and almost zoneless. Similar: Detroit Dark Red Short Top. 1964.

Gladiator (615) – Breeder and vendor: Northrup King and Co. Characteristics: open pollinated, smooth shoulder, fine taproot. Similar: Ruby Queen. 1976.

Golden – Breeder and vendor: W. Atlee Burpee Co. Characteristics: open pollinated, bright golden color with deep yellow flesh that does not bleed like red beets; tops are excellent cooked greens. Similar: Crosbys Egyptian. Adaptation: wide. 1970.

Green Top Bunching – Breeder and vendor: Ferry-Morse Seed Company, Mountain View, California. Characteristics: tops remain green during cool weather. Resistance: powdery mildew. Similar: Morse’s Detroit. Adaptation: wide. 1940.

Green Top Early Wonder – Breeder and vendor: Ferry-Morse Seed Company, Detroit. Parentage: selection from Early Wonder. Characteristics: foliage bright, clear green; does not discolor during cool weather; roots round dark and smooth. Similar: Crosbys Egyptian. Adaptation: wide; for market garden use. 1937.

Ivax (NUN5017) – Breeder and vendor: Nunhems. Characteristics: monogerm; deep red internal color; upright leaves; very uniform. Resistance: tolerance to bolting. 1991.

Kestrel – Breeder: Alf Christianson. Characteristics: F1 hybrid, globe shape, dark red interior, high sugar content, bright green medium glossy foliage, high yield potential. Resistance: tolerance to cercospora, moderate tolerance to powdery mildew, downy mildew, rhizoctonia.

King Red – Breeder and vendor: Northrup King and Company, Minneapolis. Parentage: Perfected Detroit. Characteristics: tops shorter, roots rounder with smaller tap root and smoother crown than Perfected Detroit. Adaptation: muck or peat land or high nitrogen soils. NK and Company Dist. List. 1952.

Lutz Green Leaf – Characteristics: top shape, purple interior, light green glossy leaf, excellent storage potential. Resistance: high tolerance to bolting, tolerance to cercospora, moderate tolerance to downy mildew, tolerance to powdery mildew.

Mono King Burgundy (8112M1) – Breeder and vendor: Northrup King and Co. Characteristics: mono germ selected for fine taproot and small crown; medium top. 1971.

Mono King Explorer (NK Experimental 651) – Breeder and vendor: Northrup King and Company, Minneapolis. Characteristics: mono germ, 12- to 15-inch top, round, red. 1964.

Monopoly – Characteristics: globe shape, monogerm, good storage potential.

Pablo – Breeder: Bejo. Characteristics: F1 hybrid, round shape, dark red interior, multipurpose beet.

Pacemaker F1 [187A x W205) – Breeder: University of Wisconsin, Madison. Parentage: W187A x E205. Characteristics: F1 hybrid, superior seedling vigor, smooth, round. Adaptation: midwestern United States. Memo to Table Beet Producers, 1 May 1964.

Pacemaker III – Breeder: Alf Christianson. Characteristics: F1 hybrid, globe shape, dark red interior, high sugar content, medium green glossy leaf, multipurpose beet. Resistance: tolerance to cercospora leaf spot, tolerance to downy mildew, powdery mildew, rhizoctonia.

Preco – Breeder: Vilmorin. Characteristics: globe shape, deep red interior, strong top.

Red Ace (4292) – Breeder and vendor: Alf Christianson Seed Co. Parentage: F1 hybrid, female, W357A. Characteristics: fast-growing, early maturing hybrid for home garden, market, and processor; smooth root with good color and resists zoning; high sugar for good taste, bolt-resistant, strong petioles for erect growth; bright green leaf. Resistance: tolerance to cercospora leaf spot. Similar: Detroit Dark Red. Adaptation: wide. 1981.

Red Ball – Characteristics: globe shape, dark red interior, intended for baby beet production, tender greens, small tap root.

Red Baron [E8701 (FX 190)] – Breeder and vendor: Ferry-Morse Seed Co. Characteristics: open pollinated, good shape, uniformity, and color. Similar: Fire Chief. Adaptation: New York and Wisconsin.

Red Dart (653) – Breeder and vendor: Northrup King and Co. Characteristics: open pollinated, erect, upright, short top with a small root; about 52 day maturity; very dark-red interior. Similar: Detroit Short Top. Adaptation: United States. 1979.

Red Heart – Breeder and vendor: W. Atlee Burpee and Co. Parentage: hybrid. 2000.

Red Russian – Breeder: Burpee. Characteristics: purple red roots; elongated; extra sweet.

Red Velvet (PSX1188) – Breeder and vendor: Petoseed. Characteristics: very smooth roots with dark purple color attractive green tops very early maturity. Resistance: powdery mildew. Similar: Red Ace. 1994.

Redpack (H28) – Breeder: Wes Hansche, private breeder, Racine, Wisconsin. Vendor: Asgrow Seed Co. Characteristics: refined, highly colored, smooth-rooted, processing cultivar. Similar: Ruby Queen. Adaptation: general. 1965.

Rosette (XPH3646) – Breeder and vendor: Asgrow. Characteristics: hybrid beet with small crown attachment, excellent internal color with very little zoning, medium size top with dark green color, for both fresh market and processing. Similar: Detroit Dark Red. 1992.

Royal Delight – Breeder: Abbott & Cobb. Vendor: Otis Twilley. Characteristics: deep red interior free of zoning uniform size and shape. Similar: Detroit Dark Red. 1982.

Royal Red – Breeder: Northrup King and Company, Minneapolis. Parentage: breeding lines including Perfected Detroit. Characteristics: uniform interior color, darker than Perfected Detroit, smooth skin, small crown, medium tap root, globe shape flattened at base root. Nov. 7, 1962.

Ruby Queen – Breeder and vendor: Northrup King and Company, Minneapolis. Parentage: line selection in Special Crosby. Characteristics: short top, uniform interior color between Perfected Detroit and Special Crosby, round smooth root. Similar: Special Crosby. Adaptation: wide. Southern Seedsman, March 1956. 1958.

Sangria – Breeder and vendor: Petoseed. Characteristics: tall green tops, dark purple-red interior, very smooth roots. Similar: Early Wonder Green Top. 1988.

Scarlet Early (PS2988) – Breeder: Crookham. Vendor: Petoseed. Characteristics: globe shaped, red interior, medium sized crowns, good for fresh market or processing.

Scarlet Supreme – Breeder: Seminis Vegetable Seeds. Characteristics: F1 hybrid, round shape, blood red interior, excellent for processing, little zoning, holds shape well under crowded conditions.

Select Dark Red B – Breeder and vendor: Ferry-Morse Seed Company, Mountain View, California. Characteristics: round red table beet for processing and home garden; tops medium tall; medium collar; large blades; about 65 day maturity; not thoroughly tested. Resistance: tolerance to boron deficiency. Similar: Detroit Dark Red. Adaptation: general. Ferry-Morse Seed Company, 30 Apr. 1964.

Select Dark Red C – Breeder and vendor: Ferry-Morse Seed Company, Mountain View, California. Characteristics: round red table beet; medium tall tops; large blades; medium collar; for processing and home garden; about 65 day maturity; not thoroughly tested. Resistance: tolerance to boron deficiency. Similar: Ferry’s Detroit Dark Red. Adaptation: general. Ferry-Morse Seed Company 30 April 1964.

Seneca Detroit – Breeder and vendor: Robson Seed Corp., Hall, New York. Parentage: long history of selfing and selection, specific origin not clear. Similar: Detroit Dark Red. Characteristics: tall top persists late in fall, uniformly round, intense red interior, low fiber. Resistance: boron deficiencies. Adaptation: general, especially Oregon. Robson Catalog. 1951.

Smooth Crosby – Breeder and vendor: Eastern States Farmers Exchange, West Springfield, Massachusetts. Parentage: selection from Tall Top Wonder. Characteristics: tall clean petioles, smooth surface of leaf blade; roots smooth skinned, short-top shape, few zones, early maturity. Similar: Crosby. Adaptation: northeastern United States. Eastern States Catalog, 1956.

Solo – Breeder: Alf Christianson. Characteristics: F1 hybrid, monogerm, globe to top shape, dark red interior, dark green glossy leaf, early maturity. Resistance: tolerance to cercospora, moderate tolerance to downy mildew, powdery mildew, tolerance to rhizoctonia.

Special Crosby – Breeder and vendor: Northrup King and Company, Minneapolis. Parentage: Boston Crosby type. Characteristics: dull greet foliage, more uniform and deeper crimson than Boston Crosby, very uniform, smooth, refined. Similar: Boston. 1950.

Sweetheart – Breeder: A.F. Yeager and E.M. Meader, New Hampshire Agric. Expt. Sta., Durham. Vendor: Billy Hepler Seed Co. Parentage: United States number 225 sugar beet x Detroit Dark Red. Characteristics: large late, heart-shaped, red table beet, as sweet as a sugar beet. Similar: Detroit Dark Red. Adaptation: northern states. N.H. Agric. Expt. Sta. Bul. number 4401, June 1947. 1958.

Warrior (Hyb A) – Breeder and vendor: Joseph Harris Seed Co. Characteristics: F1 hybrid, 57-day bunching or processing beet with superior internal color and quality; smooth, round refined roots make size quickly. Similar: Pacemaker II. Adaptation: wide. 1979.