G1896
Selected Vegetable Cultivars for Nebraska
This guide lists vegetable cultivars suitable for Nebraska.
Sarah J. Browning, Extension Educator
Laurie Hodges, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Vegetable cultivars for home gardens should be adapted to local growing conditions. The following selected cultivars should succeed in most areas of Nebraska. Because there are hundreds of cultivars of some vegetables, this is only a partial list. Other cultivars may do as well or better in your area. Your garden location, experience, likes and dislikes and intended use of your produce will be factors in selecting vegetable cultivars for your garden.
All-American Selections are designated by an asterisk (*). These are cultivars tested at trial gardens across the United States. Cultivars must be unique, widely adapted and provide a quality product to receive this honored award.
Cultivar disease resistance or tolerance is indicated in the third column. Hybrid cultivars are indicated by “H” or “hybrid” following the name. This indicates the cultivar is a result of the cross of two distinct parents. Seed produced from hybrid plants will not produce plants like the hybrid. In general, seed produced from hybrid cultivars should not be saved for replanting. Because flowers of summer and winter squash, melons and cucumbers tend to be cross-pollinated by insects, seed from these plants should also not be saved since it is unlikely the plants will come true to the parents.
Specific sources for purchasing each cultivar are not listed. While some cultivars are available through local garden stores, a number of those listed may be available only through mail-order sources. See NebGuide G1895, General and Specialty Mail-Order Seed Sources, for a list of companies with whom to consult for those cultivars not available locally.
A — Anthracnose
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BC — Brown Canker
CLS — Cerospora Leaf Spot CMV — Cucumber Mosaic Virus CW — Common Wilt DM — Downy Mildew EB — Early Blight F — Fusarium, race 1 FF– Fusarium, race 1 & 2 FFF — Fusarium, race 1, 2 & 3 FYR — Fusarium Yellows Resistant LB — Late Blight LR — Leaf Roll M — Mosaic |
N — Nematode
NLB — Northern Corn Leaf Blight PEV — Pea Enation Virus PLRV — Pea Leaf Roll Virus PM — Powdery Mildew PR — Pink Root Resistant PVA — Potato Virus A PVY — Potato Virus Y R — Rust S — Scab SLB — Southern Corn Leaf Blight Sm — Smut St — Stemphylium (Gray Leaf Spot) |
SW — Stewarts Wilt
TEV — Tobacco Etch Virus TLS — Target Leaf Spot TMV — Tobacco Mosaic Virus Th — Thrips V — Verticillium Wilt WMV — Watermelon Mosaic Virus WM — White Mold Y — Yellows ZY — Zucchini Yellows |
SELECTED VEGETABLE CULTIVARS FOR NEBRASKA
| Vegetable | Cultivar | Disease Res/Tolerance | Comment |
| Asparagus (buy 1 yr. old plants) | Jersey Giant (H) | ACR, F, R | all male plants, large spears, high yields |
| Jersey King (H) | ACR, F, R | all male plants, large green spears with purple bracts, productive | |
| Jersey Knight (H) | ACR, F, R | all male plants, good flavor, large spears | |
| Jersey Supreme (H) | ACR, F, R | all male plants, cold tolerant, 7-10 days earlier than others | |
| Purple Passion (H) | sweet purple spears turn green when cooked | ||
| UC 157 (H) | R | vigorous fast growth, high yields, 70% male plants | |
| Beans — bush | Derby* | BM | 57 days, straight 6” pods, good yields, use fresh |
| Jade | BM, R | 60 days, upright plants and long, straight pods, good flavor | |
| Jumbo | 55 days, Italian Romano type, 6-7” flat pods | ||
| Provider | BM, DM, PM | 50 days, 5.5” round pods, widely adapted, excellent flavor | |
| Roma II | BM, R | 59 days, 4.5-6” flat stringless pods, snap, shell or freeze | |
| Straight ‘N Narrow | 53 days, 5” dark green round pods, French filet | ||
| Beans — bush wax | Goldito | BM 5 | 2-54 days, 4.5-5” straight stringless yellow pods, French filet Indy |
| Gold | BM | 52-56 days, 5-6” yellow pods, green tipped | |
| Isar | 52 days, 4.5-5” yellow pods, medium-sized upright plants | ||
| Slenderwax | WM, BM | 56 days, deep yellow, straight pods | |
| Beans — pole | Fortex | 60 days, 7-11” straight stringless green pods, French filet | |
| Kentucky Blue* | 58 days, 8-9” green pods, good flavor | ||
| Kentucky Wonder | 65 days, 9” green pods, good flavor | ||
| Beans — lima, bush | Fordhook 242* | 65-85 days, white seeds, dwarf bush, great for freezing | |
| Jackson Wonder | 75 days, butterbean, buff, mottled purplish-back when dry | ||
| Packers | DM | 70 days, green seed, baby lima, better for cool climates | |
| Beans — lima, pole | Christmas | 88 days, speckled red and white, strong flavor | |
| King of the Garden | 88 days, heavy producer/very large seed | ||
| Beets | Big Red (H) | Y, CLS | 50 days, extra sweet, excellent interior color, canning |
| Detroit Dark Red | 60 days, round, sweet, fresh or processed | ||
| Early Wonder Tall Top | 45-50 days, smaller and slightly flattened roots, grow for early red-veined greens | ||
| Golden | 55 days, golden yellow interior, mild sweet flavor | ||
| Red Ace (H) | CLS | 53 days, vigorous, maintains tenderness and sweetness | |
| Broccoli | Packman (H) | 57 days, very large heads, excellent side shoots | |
| Premium Crop (H)* | 71 days, freezes well, holds long | ||
| Small Miracle (H) | 54 days, 6-7” heads, compact 1.5’ plants | ||
| Brussels Sprouts | Bubbles (H) | PM | 82 days, dark green, large sprouts, heat tolerant |
| Jade Cross (H)* | 80 days, heat tolerant, bluish-green, freezes well | ||
| Long Island Improved | 80-115 days, dark green, compact 2’ plants | ||
| Tasty Nuggets(H) | 78 days, small 1” sprouts | ||
| Cabbage | Discovery (H) | FYR | 65 days, excellent flavor, excellent cultivar |
| Dynamo (H)* 6 | 0-75 days, 2 lbs, blue-green, good disease resistance | ||
| Red Acre | 76 days, mid-season, deep red, stores well | ||
| Savoy Ace (H)* | FYR | 78 days, slow to split, crinkled leaves | |
| Savoy Express (H)* | 55 days, small heads, sweet taste, not bitter | ||
| Cabbage — Chinese | Blues (H) | BS, DM, M | 57 days, 3.5-4.5 lbs bluish-green heads, Napa type, spring or fall |
| Jade Pagoda (H) | BS | 72 days, fall planting, Michihli type | |
| Joi Choi (H) | 45 days, dark leaves, white stalks Michihli 72 days, fall planting | ||
| Carrots | Chantenay, Nantes, or Danvers types | types with shorter roots, 4-6” are best for heavy soils | |
| Purple Haze (H)* | 70 days, 10-12”, dark violet flesh with bright orange core, Nantes type, best in loose well-drained soil | ||
| Red Cored Chantenay | 70-75 days, 5-7” smooth golden-orange, grows well in heavy soil | ||
| Cauliflower | Cheddar (H) | 58 days, 4-7” orange heads, retains color when cooked, self-blanching | |
| Graffitti (H) | 75-80 days, 10” purple head, retains color when cooked, self-blanching | ||
| Snow Crown (H)* | 50 days, 6-8” white heads, self-blanching, dependable | ||
| Corn — white | Silver King (H) | SW, R, NLB | 82 days, white sugar-enhanced, 8” ears, good flavor |
| Corn — yellow | Bodacious (H) | SW | 75 days, yellow sugar-enhanced, 8” ears, excellent flavor |
| Honey Select (H)* | 79 days, yellow synergistic, 8”, isolate from super sweet (sh2) hybrids | ||
| Incredible (H) | SW, R | 85 days, yellow sugar-enhanced, 9.5” tender, resists lodging | |
| Kandy Korn (H) | SW, R | 83-89 days, yellow sugar-enhanced, 8.5” ears | |
| Miracle (H) | 84 days, yellow sugar-enhanced, high yield, excellent ears | ||
| Corn — bicolor | Ambrosia (H) | 75 days, bicolor sugar-enhanced, 8” ears, excellent flavor | |
| Honey ‘n’ Pearl (H)* | 76 days, super sweet, bicolor, 9” ears, isolate from all other corn types | ||
| Seneca Spring (H) | Sm, R, NLB, SLB | 68 days, bicolor sugar-enhanced, cold soil tolerance | |
| Sensor (H) | Sm, R, NLB, SW | 82 days, bicolor sugar-enhanced, excellent flavor | |
| Trinity (H) | SW | 59-68 days, bicolor synergistic, 8” ears, cool soil emergence, isolate from super sweet (sh2) hybrids | |
| Cucumbers — slicing | Dasher II (H) | A, ALS, CMV, PM, DM, S | 58 days, vigorous, gynoecious1, parthenocarpic2 |
| Diva (H)* | DM, PM, S | 58 days, smooth thin skin, burpless, gynoecious1, parthenocarpic2, not attractive to cucumber beetles | |
| Fanfare (H)* | A, ALS, CMV, DM, PM, S | 52-63 days, slender, 7-8”, dark green semi-bush | |
| Marketmore 76 | CMV, DM, PM, S | 60 days, slender, standard slicer, dark green | |
| Orient Express (H) | A, ALS, PM, DM, S | 60 days, Asian “burpless”, crunchy and mild, 14 x 1.5”, gynoecious1 | |
| Salad Bush (H)* | TLS, CMV, PM, DM, S | 57 days, space saver, 2-3’ plants, 8” fruits, dark green | |
| Spacemaster (H) | CMV, S | 60 days, 7-8” fruits, dwarf plants good for container or small gardens | |
| Sweet Slice (H) | ASL, DM, PM, S, WMV-1 & 2 | 62 days, “burpless”, 8-10”, crisp non-bitter fruits | |
| Cucumbers — pickling | County Fair (H) | BW, CMV, S, PM | 52 days, gynoecious1, parthenocarpic2, Bacterial wilt resistant |
| Homemade Pickles (H) (many) | 55 days, 1.5 x 6” long, crisp, good flavor, vigorous vines | ||
| Regal (H) | A, ALS, CMV, DM, PM, S | 55 days, dark green, gynoecious1 | |
| Eggplant | Casper | 70 days, cylindrical, white skinned, 6” | |
| Dusky (H) | TMV | 63 days, 6.5 x 3”, pear shaped, glossy black | |
| Ichiban (H) | 58 days, 9 x 1.5”, slender, dark purple Oriental type | ||
| Kale | Red Russian | 50-60 days, 24-36” plants, leaves gray-green toothed, non-curled with red stems, excellent flavor and tender, very cold tolerant | |
| Vates | 55 days, 12-18” curled leaves, good for multiple harvests | ||
| Winterbor (H) | 65 days, 24” blue-green curled leaves, mild flavor, very cold tolerant | ||
| Kohlrabi | Early Purple Vienna | 50 days, purple outside, ornamental | |
| Express Forcer (H) | 42 days, 4” bulbs, tops for stir-frying | ||
| Grand Duke (H)* BR | 45 days, uniform shaped bulbs, to 4” | ||
| Leek | King Richard | 79 days, hill up for long stems, tolerates to -20°F | |
| Large American Flag | 130 days, standard variety, hill for long stems | ||
| Lettuce — head | Grand Rapids | 45 days, frilled light-green leaves | |
| Summertime | 70 days, slow-bolting iceburg type, slow to bitter | ||
| Lettuce — Romaine | Freckles | 28-55 days, 8-10” heads, semi-savoy, bright green with dark red speckles | |
| Green Towers | 74 days, 8-12” heads, lightly savoyed green leaves | ||
| Rosalita | 55 days, red romaine, green background color | ||
| Lettuce — looseleaf | Black Seeded Simpson | 46 days, light green, good cold germination | |
| Green or Red Salad Bowl* | 48 days, two cultivars either green or red oakleaf-shaped | ||
| Red Sails* | 40-50 days, ruffled leaf, green with red tips, slow to bolt or become bitter in heat | ||
| Waldman Dark Green | 50 days, dark green, best early spring and fall | ||
| Lettuce — butterhead | Buttercrunch* | 48 days, 10” heads, spring or fall, slow to bolt | |
| Tom Thumb | 46 days, compact 5-7” heads, great for container plantings | ||
| Muskmelon | Ambrosia (H) | PM, DM | 86 days, very sweet, small seed cavity |
| Angel (H)* | FF | 60-80 days, 2-3 pounds, white flesh, Mediterranean type | |
| Athena (H) | F, PM | 65-80 days, 5-7 pounds, crisp orange flesh, crack-resistant, no sutures | |
| Burpee Hybrid | PM | 82 days, 4.5 pounds, orange flesh | |
| Okra | Annie Oakley II (H) | 48 days, 4.5” pods, spineless, compact plants | |
| Cajun Delight (H)* | 49-70 days, dark green low-fiber pods, produces til frost | ||
| Clemson Spineless* | 60 days, dark green, spineless pods | ||
| Onion — bunching | Evergreen Hardy White | 65 days, very cold hardy, over-winter with mulch | |
| Feast | DM | 60 days, heat tolerant, holds well for extended harvest, high yields | |
| Oasis | DM, R | 65 days, vigorous, uniform deep green leaves, holds for extended harvest, high yields, heat tolerant | |
| Parade | 60 days, vigorous upright growth | ||
| White Spear | 65 days, heat resistant, blue-green leaves | ||
| Onion — globe | Candy (H) | 100 days, extra sweet, short keeper | |
| Copra (H) | 111 days, medium size, good keeper, very pungent | ||
| Red Bull (H) | 114 days, uniform bulbs, red throughout | ||
| Super Star* (H) | PR | 109 days, white flesh, mild flavor, day neutral | |
| Walla Walla Sweet | 115 days, very sweet, short keeper | ||
| Parsnips | Andover | BC | 120 days, 12-14” tapered roots, store 4-6 months |
| Harris Model | 120 days, 10-12” smooth roots | ||
| Peas — garden | Early Frosty | 63 days, 3” pods, 28” plants, high yields, freezes well | |
| Green Arrow | DM, F | 70 days, 4” pods, 9-11 peas per pod, extra sweet, 28” plants, freezes well | |
| Knight | PM, CW, PEV, BYMV | 57-62 days, 4” pods, 8 peas per pod, compact plants, fresh use | |
| Lincoln | F, DM | 67 days, 3” pods, 30” plants, high yields | |
| Mr. Big* | F, PM | 58-72 days, 4.5” pods, 3-4’ vines | |
| Wando | 68 days, heat tolerant, 3” pods, try a fall crop | ||
| Peas — edible pod | Oregon Giant | PEV, PM, CW | 60-74 days, large flat 4.5” pods, sweet snow pea |
| Sugar Ann* | CW | 58 days, 18-24” tall, fresh or cooked | |
| Sugar Daddy | PM, PLRV | 74 days, 26” tall, stringless pods, best freezer | |
| Sugar Sprint | PEV, PM | 58 days, 3” pods, 2’ vines don’t need support, nearly stringless | |
| Peppers — sweet | Bell Boy (H) | TMV | 72 days, blocky, thick-walled, 4-lobed |
| Carmen* (H) | 75 days, horn-shaped fruits, green to red, sweet Italian-type | ||
| Giant Marconi* (H) | 72 days, 8 by 3” tapered fruits, green to red, sweet frying-type | ||
| Jupiter | TMV | 72 days, large, thick-walled, blocky | |
| King Arthur (H) | TMV, PVY, TEV, BST2 | 68 days, large blocky fruit, 3-4 lobed, green to red, strong plants that set well in heat | |
| New Ace (H) | 55 days, early, very productive in adverse conditions | ||
| North Star (H) | 62 days, early, blocky 4-lobed fruit, green to red, continuous set | ||
| Peppers — hot | Cherry Bomb (H) | TMV | 62-87 days, 2 by 2”, round to heart-shaped fruits, thick-walled, very hot |
| Holy Mole* (H) | 85 days, slender 9” fruits, green to brown, mild Pasilla-type | ||
| Mucho Nacho* (H) | 70 days, 4” hot jalapeno-type fruits, thick-walled, vigorous plants | ||
| Numex Joe E. Parker | 70-95 days, 6-8” thick flesh, bright green fruits, mild Anaheim-type | ||
| Super Chili Hybrid* | 75 days, hot cayenne type, 2.5” long, short spreading prolific plants, dries well | ||
| White Bullet | 80-90 days, 1” bullet-shaped fruits, green to gold, very hot Habanero-type | ||
| Potatoes | Dark Red Norland | S, LR, PVA, PVY | early, red, stores well |
| Irish Cobbler | early, shallow eyes, stores well, heirloom | ||
| Kennebec | LB, BL, PVA, PVY | late, all-purpose, white flesh, shallow eyes | |
| Red Pontiac | late, red, stores well, boiling potato | ||
| Red Cloud | S, EB | large, red skin, mid-season, boil or bake, NU introduction | |
| Yukon Gold | LR, PVA | all-purpose, yellow skin and flesh, mid-early | |
| Pumpkins | Baby Bear* (H) | 105 days, small 4-6” diameter, 1.5-2.5 lbs., 5-8/plant, excellent handles | |
| Baby Boo | 90-95 days, 3” diameter, white skin and flesh, ornamental and culinary | ||
| Howden | 110 days, very large, thick flesh | ||
| Jack Be Little | 85-95 days, 3” diameter, orange skin, ornamental and culinary | ||
| Orange Smoothie* (H) | 90-110 days, 7-8 lbs., semi-bush | ||
| Small Sugar | 115 days, pies, 7” diameter, great flavor, a/k/a New England Pie | ||
| Radish | Cherriette | 24 days, very red roots to 2”, remain crisp | |
| Champion* | 26 days, bright red, round | ||
| Easter Egg (H) | 28 days, multi-colored blend, mini-egg shaped | ||
| White Icicle | 30 days, white, long mild, somewhat heat tolerant | ||
| Rhubarb | Canada Red | long, thin stalks, red throughout, extra sweet, few flower stalks | |
| MacDonald | bright red, tender skin Valentine long, red stalks, good flavor | ||
| Spinach | Bloomsdale Longstanding | 45 days, glossy dark green, savoyed, large broad leaves, slow to bolt, very good cold soil emergence | |
| Melody* (H) | DM, CMV | 43 days, dark green, semi-savoy leaf, upright plants | |
| Olympia | DM | 40 days, large 5-6” green leaves, fresh or processing, slower to bolt than | |
| Melody Tyee (H) | DM | 53 days, large savoyed leaves, slow to bolt | |
| Squash — summer | |||
| Green | Raven (H) | 43 days, 7-8” deep green zucchini fruits, compact plants, concentrated fruit set | |
| Zucchini Elite (H) | 48-50 days, 7-8” medium green fruits | ||
| Yellow | Gold Rush* (H) | 50 days, golden yellow zucchini hybrid, straight neck, upright compact plants | |
| Multipik (H) | 50 days, yellow straight neck, mostly female flowers | ||
| Sunburst* (H) | 50 days, yellow patty pan, very productive | ||
| Zephyr (H) | 54 days, yellow straight neck with light green blossom end | ||
| Squash — winter | Bonbon* (H) | 95 days, 4-5 lb. fruits, average 4/plant, compact vines, buttercup type, sweet | |
| Royal Ace PM | PM | 80 days, dark green acorn, orange flesh, semi-bush | |
| Table Ace F1 | 70-85 days, black-green acorn, sweet orange flesh, semi-bush | ||
| Tivoli* (H) | 100 days, bush spaghetti, prolific | ||
| Waltham Butternut* | 95 days, large fruits, heavy yields, stores well | ||
| Sweet Potato | Bush Porto Rico | 110 days, bush plants, orange flesh | |
| Centennial | 100 days, orange skin and bright orange flesh, some irregular shapes | ||
| Jewell F | 100 days, copper-colored, moist flesh | ||
| Swiss Chard | Bright Lights* | 60 days, many colored stems- gold, pink, orange, red, purple, white, lightly savoyed foliage, mild flavor | |
| Rhubarb Chard | 59 days, red stems, green heavily savoyed foliage, a/k/a Ruby Red | ||
| Tomato — salad or cherry | Husky Red Cherry (H) | V, F, ASC | 65-70 days, dwarf indeterminate, good for containers |
| Sungold | F, TMV | 57-60 days, indeterminate, golden-orange fruits, crack-resistant | |
| Sweet Million (H) | V, FF, N, TMV | 65 days, indeterminate 1-1.5” fruit, less cracking, sweet | |
| Tomato — paste | Amish Paste | 74 days, indeterminate, 8 oz. ox heart-shaped paste tomato, great flavor | |
| Big Mama | 80 days; indeterminate; 5” x 3” fruit, thick walls, good flavor; also fresh or grilled | ||
| San Marzano | 60-80 days, indeterminate, 3 oz. deep red fruits, meaty and dry, crack-resistant | ||
| Tomato — standard | Better Boy (H) | V, FF, N, ASC | 72-80 days, deep red, 1 lb. globe-shaped fruit, crack-resistant |
| Big Beef* | F1 V, F, N, TMV, ASC, St | 73 days, indeterminate beefsteak, great yields, flavorful | |
| Bush Celebrity* (H) | V, FF, N, TMV, ASC, St | 67 days, 7-10 oz. fruits, good flavor, 15” compact plants, very disease-resistant | |
| Mountain Pride (H) | V, FF | 74-77 days, 7-10 oz. fruits with good flavor, very crack-resistant | |
| Quick Pick F1 | V, FF | 60 days, indeterminate great yields and flavor | |
| Turnips | Purple Top White Globe | 55 days, 5-6”, stores well | |
| Tokyo Cross* (H) | 35 days, 2” roots in 35 days | ||
| Watermelon — small fruited | Sugar Baby | 84 days, 6-7 lb. fruits, deep red flesh, dark green rind | |
| Yellow Doll (H) | 70 days, 3-7 lb. fruits, yellow flesh, very sweet, semi-compact vines | ||
| Watermelon — large fruited | Crimson Sweet F1 | A, F | 88 days, 25 pounds, round-oval fruit, deep red |
| Sangria | A, F | 85 days, sweet, 20-26 pounds, bright red flesh | |
| Sweet Favorite Hybrid* | A, F | 82 days, 15-20 pounds, oblong, best for cool areas | |
| 1Gynoecious plants produce all or predominantly female flowers and, unless they are also parthenocarpic, require non-gynoecious plants with pollen-producing male flowers for good fruit set.
2Parthenocarpic plants do not require pollination to produce fruits. Fruits are seedless. |
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This publication has been peer reviewed.
Visit the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension Publications Web site for more publications.
Index: Lawn & Garden
Vegetables
Issued October 2008