What plant is eight vegetables?

By Chelsie Vandaveer

October 23, 2003

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~

Suggested Reading—>Click here.

Assorted Killer Savings Garden Links—>Click here.

Killer Picks: Cauliflower, Kohlrabi, & more—>Click here.

Wild cabbage (Brassica oleracea Linnaeus) is native to the coastlines of Europe and the Mediterranean basin. It is a cool season cultivated plant, 'bolting' or flowering when the temperatures climb. 'Cabbage' has been cultivated for at least 2,500 years.

advertisement

Show-Off Hybrid Cabbage  Grow This One for Blue Ribbons! Giant, 12-16-lb. heads will win you bragging rights and blue ribbons! Dense, very firm heads resist splitting in the garden. Vigorous plants yield lots of tasty leaves for slaw or kraut. 73 DAYS.  Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower (all part of the big brassica family) are loaded with good health.  Vegetable Seeds For Sale

Wild cabbage is a rangy plant that has slight variations in morphology or form. Forms taken into cultivation were further selected to enhance the desired traits. These desired traits are the eight main varieties or lineages of a single species. Within each of the lineages are plants that vary slightly from another--sub-varieties. Horticulturally, the lineages are called 'groups'.

The Acephala Group (Brassica oleracea var. acephala), literally "no head", are the kales and collards. The leaves are in rosettes and are usually cooked and eaten as pot herbs. This group has forms which are only grown for their colorful leaves, the ornamental kales. The Alboglabra Group (B. oleracea var. alboglabra), literally "white smooth" are the Chinese kales.

The Botrytis Group (B. o. var. botrytis), "grape-cluster", are the cauliflowers. These are grown for the compact, tight flower head. The Italica Group (B. o. var. italica) is similar to the cauliflowers but the flowering stems are elongated and thickened. These are the broccoli. The Tronchuda Group (B. o. var. tronchuda) is the Portuguese or tronchuda kale grown for the fleshy petioles and broad midribs of the leaves eaten like celery.

The Gemmifera Group (B. o. var. gemmifera), "bearing buds" is a little different. The main stem of most cabbages does not elongate and the leaves are arranged compactly along it. The main stem of gemmifera does elongate and sets buds or 'Brussels sprouts' that form in the axils of the leaves along the main stem.

The Gongylodes Group (B. o. var. caulorapa), "knees" are the kohlrabi cultivated for the stem which swells just above the soil line. The Capitata Group (B. o. var. capitata) form heads of leaves tightly curled over the younger leaves on the short stem. These are our traditional idea of cabbages. (Compiled from Hortus Third, Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium, Cornell University, 1976)

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~

Suggested Reading:

What vegetable makes a walking stick? Weird Plants - October 30, 2003
What medicinal root is a common vegetable today? Herbal Folklore - November 12, 2001
What were radishes thought to cure? Herbal Folklore - January 12, 2004
What palm produces ivory? Weird Plants - May 13, 2004
Pease porrage hot, pease porrage cold What's in a Name? - January 3, 2003

Killer Savings Links: Breck's Bulbs -$25 off—>Click here.

Gurney's Seed and Nursery -$20 off—>Click here.

Henry Fields Seed and Nursery -$20 off—>Click here.

Spring Hill Nursery -$20 off—>Click here.

Gardens Alive! -$20 off—>Click here.

Michigan Bulb -$20 off—>Click here.

Unique Professionally Designed Gardens

Springhill Nursery®

Spring Hill Nursery has unique gardens professionally designed by experts to take the guesswork out of gardening. Whether you are looking for a three season garden, foundation garden, or a garden to attract hummingbirds and butterflies, Spring Hill Nursery has created a step-by-step design just for you.  Click here - $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!

Garden Solutions® Vegetable Food

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Dramatically Boosts Yields! – All-natural blend of nutrients and trace minerals promotes vigor and stress resistance for garden vegetables, including broccoli, lettuce, beans, melons, squash and cucumbers. Gives higher yields. Click here to get $20 off your first order at Gurneys!

		Coronado Crown Hybrid Broccoli Gurney's Seed and Nursery® Highest Quality Heads; Grows Anywhere! Harvest big, beautiful “crowns” in the North or South. Solidly packed, dome-shaped heads and tender, non-fibrous stems are super fresh or frozen. Heat-tolerant coronado Crown Broccoli produce plenty of side shoots. 58 DAYS. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower (all part of the big brassica family) are loaded with good health. Zones: 3 - 9 (-30° F.)
This Item Ships In Both Spring And Fall  Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! Comments: Uniform heads are large, very solid, blue green in color and arch into a high dome shape. This hybrid also does not have the thick, high fibrous stems like most common varieties. The heads are refined with tiny beads, well-rounded shape, large size and excellent firmness. Great either for fresh eating or freezing. Also produces plenty of side shoots. First-Crown cut broccoli that is widely adapted enough for the north. Great quality, yeild potential and adaptability for the home gardener. Vegetable Seeds For Sale - $20 off your first order at Gurneys!
		Brussel Sprouts, Dutch Treat Hybrid Gurney's Seed and Nursery® Famous for Flavor In Holland, where Brussels sprouts are a favorite, this is the preferred variety! Reliably bears big, fall crops of extra-sweet sprouts. Upright plants are easy to grow. 88 DAYS. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower (all part of the big brassica family) are loaded with good health. Zones: 3 - 9 (-30° F.)
This Item Ships In Both Spring And Fall  Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! Comments: This is an easier-to-grow variety with more sure-to-set sprouts. It is high yielding, very uniform with nice upright plants, and has outstanding flavor with a hint of sweetness that makes your want more. Matures in about 130 days, and is recommended for fall harvest in most aeas, or winter harvest in warmer areas of the US. The sweet sprout they grow in the Netherlands where gardeners and consumers really know Brussels spouts. Brussel sprouts are good for you. They're said to be great for detoxifying harmful chemicals, and a 1-cup serving is extremely high in vitamin C, rich in protein, low in sodium and fat, moderate in vitamin A, riboflavin and iron and moderately high in potassium and fiber. Vegetable Seeds For Sale - $20 off your first order at Gurneys!
		Pheres Hybrid Kohlrabi Gurney's Seed and Nursery® Super Source of Vitamin C! Light green, tender bulbs contain as much vitamin C as an orange! Mildly nutty flavor--great raw, steamed or in soups. Pheres Hybrid Kohlrabi has a high-yielding plants mature fast. 42 DAYS. Slice thinly and serve raw with dip. Like cabbage and other brassica members, kohlrabi helps reduce the risk of cancer. Zones: 3 - 9 (-30° F.)
This Item Ships In Both Spring And Fall  Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! Comments: Vigorous grower with strong foliage, matures very early, has absolutely great flavor, is highly productive, and produces extra-tender morsels. Produces light green, very uniform, found to deep oblate shaped bulbs above the soil. It has white juicy flesh and is delicious whether raw or cooked. Best harvest when 5-6 inches in diameter. Vegetable Seeds For Sale - $20 off your first order at Gurneys!
		Mammoth Red Rock Cabbage Gurney's Seed and Nursery® Excellent for Storage Tightly packed, 8-lb heads hold their high quality during storage. Slightly flat heads are solid red to the core. Great for pickling, too. 85 DAYS. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower (all part of the big brassica family) are loaded with good health. Zones: 3 - 9 (-30° F.)
This Item Ships In Both Spring And Fall  Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! Comments: 85 days- solid and tight heads are red to the center and weigh about 8 pounds. heads are slightly flat then round. great for pickling. Vegetable Seeds For Sale - $20 off your first order at Gurneys!
		Self-Blanching Snowball Cauliflower Gurney's Seed and Nursery® Heads Blanch Themselves Easy maintenance! Large wrapper leaves curl up and over without your help. Self- Blanching Snowball Cauliflower has delicate flavor. 70 DAYS. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower (all part of the big brassica family) are loaded with good health. Zones: 3 - 9 (-30° F.)
This Item Ships In Both Spring And Fall  Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! Comments: Can be harvested before weather gets hot. Compact plants. Widely adaptable, vigorous. 1.75-2.5 pound heads. Good wrapper leaves. Largest of the early cauliflowers. Plants head and mature at same time. Heavy yields. Vegetable Seeds For Sale - $20 off your first order at Gurneys!
killerplants Recommended Seed and Nursery Stores
BACK TO TOP