Botanical description
Wild B. oleracea is a tall biennial plant, forming a stout rosette of large leaves in the first year. The leaves, being fleshier and thicker than those of other species of Brassica, have adaptations to store water and nutrients in its difficult native growing environment of chalky cliffs. In its second year, the stored nutrients are used to produce a flower spike 1 to 2 metres (3?7 ft) tall bearing numerous yellow flowers.Uses
Material uses
There are no material uses listed for Brassica oleracea.Ecology
Ecosystem niche/layer
Ecological Functions
Nothing listed.
Forage
Nothing listed.
Shelter
Nothing listed.
Propagation
Seed
Sow April in situ. Seedlings transplant very well and so, if you sow the seed too thickly, it is a simple matter to move some of the plants to give them more space.
Cultivation
An easily grown plant, it succeeds in full sun in any reasonable soil, though it prefers a well-drained fertile preferably alkaline soil[5]. It does well in heavy clay soils. It is often found wild by the coast and tolerates considerable maritime exposure. The true wild cabbage is a short-lived perennial, though we have seen specimens 5 years old or more[6]. This species has long been cultivated for its edible leaves, stems etc and a wide diversity of forms have been developed, including cabbages, cauliflowers, broccolis and Brussels sprouts[1]. Most of these forms are biennial in cultivation, though there are also some perennial forms. These different forms are detailed below and have each been given their own entry in the database. We have chosen the most up to date classification we can find, as treated in 'World Economic Plants'.
Cultivars
The following information needs to be moved to individual cultivar & cultivar group articles.
Crops
Problems, pests & diseases
Associations & Interactions
There are no interactions listed for Brassica oleracea. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.
Polycultures & Guilds
There are no polycultures listed which include Brassica oleracea.
- " Cultivar" is not in the list of possible values (Family, Genus, Species, Subspecies, Variety, Cultivar Group, Cultivar) for this property.
- The given value was not understood.
- " Cultivar" is not in the list of possible values (Family, Genus, Species, Subspecies, Variety, Cultivar Group, Cultivar) for this property.
- The given value was not understood.
Descendants
Cultivar Groups & Cultivars
Alboglabra Group
Common names: Chinese kale, Chinese broccoli, White flowering broccoliChinese kales are fast-growing plants with tender edible leaves. Although perennials[5], they are usually grown as annuals and are eaten as a summer and autumn crop whilst still young.
Botrytis Group
Common names: CauliflowerCauliflowers are grown mainly for their edible swollen inflorescence. Different cultivars can be used to provide crops all year round.
Capitata Group
Common names: CabbageThese are the cultivated cabbages, grown for their edible leaves that usually form a compact head. Reasonably winter hardy, different cultivars can be used to provide edible plants all year round.
Gemmifera Group
Common names: Brussel sproutsBrussels sprouts form large edible axillary buds 5cm or more long. They are mainly used as late autumn to spring crops.
Gongylodes Group
Common names: Kohlrabi, Turnip-stemmed cabbage, Hungarian turnip, Cabbage turnipKohl rabi produces an edible swollen stem 8cm or more in diameter. It is reasonably cold hardy and provides crops from mid summer to the winter.
Italica Group
Common names: Broccoli, Winter cauliflowerThe calabreses and sprouting broccolis, grown mainly for their edible flowering shoots. Calabrese is the less hardy and is used mainly as an autumn and early winter crop. The sprouting broccolis are very winter hardy and are grown outdoors through the winter to provide a spring to early summer crop.
Medullosa Group
Common names: Marrow-stem kale, Marrow kale, Marrow-stemmed kaleMarrowstem Kale.
Ramosa Group
Common names: Thousand-head kale, Perpetual kale, Branching cabbage, Perennial kale, Branching bush kale, Branching kale, Leaf and spear kale, Siberian kaleSabuada Group
Common names: Savoy cabbage, Winter cabbage
Sometimes referred to as a cultivar within the Capitata Group, there are a number of cultivars of the original Savoy, which are more correctly listed under the Subuada Group[9].
Sabellica Group
Common names: Borecole [en-GB], Curly kale, Kitchen kale, Scotch kale [en-GB], Siberian kaleCostata Group
Common names: Portuguese cabbage, Bedford cabbage,Tronchuda kale, Tronchuda cabbage, Portuguese kale, Tronchuda cabbage, Seakale cabbage, Madeira cabbage, White-flowered cabbageVarieties
None listed.
Subspecies
None listed.
Full Data
This table shows all the data stored for this plant.
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References
- ? 1.01.11.2 Mabey. R. Food for Free. Collins ISBN 0-00-219060-5 (32202/01/01)
- ? 2.02.1 Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 (32202/01/01)
- ? 3.03.13.23.3 Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. (32202/01/01)
- ? 4.04.14.2 Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London ISBN 9-780751-303148 (32202/01/01)
- ? 5.05.1 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (32202/01/01)
-
? Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedpfaf - ? Fiona Nevile [Purple Sprouting Broccoli] Cottage Small Holder (2013/03/20)
- ? [January King Cabbage] Wikipedia (2013/03/17)
- ? 9.09.1 [Sorting Brassica oleracea names] MULTILINGUAL MULTISCRIPT PLANT NAME DATABASE (2013/03/17)
- ? Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press (32202/01/01)
"image:Brassica oleracea0.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.
