Habit (mature) - GT1976 / Wikimedia Commons - CC BY-SA 4.0
Limited coverage
Beet (and chard)
Beta vulgaris
A biennial root vegetable grown as an annual for its swollen taproot (beets) or large leaves (chard — same species, different cultivars). Cool-season crop; tolerates light frost. Edible leaves + roots; chard is grown specifically for the dramatic colorful petioles + leaves. Wind-pollinated when flowering; rarely flowers as a garden plant.
Edible
Light
Full sun / Part sun
Water
Consistent moisture
Mature size
10-18" tall · 4" apart
Hardy in zones
Annual everywhere
AHS heat range
1-6
Plant range authored in AHS heat-zone terms.
Native in Illinois
No
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Moisture retention
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Edible roots (beets) + leaves (chard).
Cold hardiness
Future
This plant is grown as an annual; hardiness zones don't apply.
Heat tolerance
Future
Heat tolerance values are location-based too: heat days today are observed at this site, and the 2050 value projects this same location under a future climate.
Loading AHS heat-zone data for this location...
Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Beet (and chard) (Beta vulgaris). Retrieved 2026, June 14, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/beta-vulgaris
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited - 18 source-backed.
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
University extension service
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
Success tips
Designer notes