Leaf
Eric Bronson, Wikimedia · CC BY 2.0
Cabbage
Brassica oleracea L.
Also known as: Wild cabbage
Family: Brassicaceae
30 cm to 1 m tall depending on variety and stage
Grown in vegetable gardens; wild on coastal limestone cliffs (Channel, Atlantic)
Flowering: April – June
Full sun
Hardy, withstands frost well
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Head cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and kohlrabi are all the same species (Brassica oleracea), selected in very different directions according to the organ being emphasised.
🍃 Leaves
Large, fleshy, glaucous, waxy, very variable depending on variety (heading, curly, smooth)
🌸 Flowers
Yellow, with 4 petals in a cross, grouped in racemes
🍎 Fruits
Elongated siliqua containing small seeds
🪵 Bark
Herbaceous plant, generally grown as a biennial; the shape of the plant varies enormously with the cultivar.
🗺️ Distribution
Wild form limited to the coastal cliffs of the Channel and the Atlantic; widely cultivated throughout France
🐝 Value for pollinators
Yellow flowers rich in nectar, much visited by bees and various pollinators
✂️ Horticultural uses
Vegetable-garden crop at the origin of many cultivated varieties: head cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kohlrabi
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No known toxicity — edible vegetable
🌿 Other Brassicaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
🌱 This database is constantly evolving — species and information are added and corrected regularly. Spotted a mistake? Report it below.
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