Fruits, Vegetables, Herbs
Wild cabbage
Brassica oleracea
CC BY-SA 2.0 · Web-optimized
CC BY-SA 2.0 · Web-optimized
CC BY 4.0 · Web-optimized
Brassica oleracea includes wild cabbage and familiar vegetables such as kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. The wild form is a short-lived perennial or biennial with large, fleshy lower leaves and yellow flowers. It can reach about 3 to 5 feet tall, while cultivated forms differ widely in size and shape. Grow wild cabbage in a container where its foliage and flowers can be seen, away from vegetable brassicas that may share pests and diseases. Give it full sun or partial shade and moist, well-drained, nitrogen-rich soil. In Southwest Washington, choose crop-specific guidance when growing cultivated forms for winter harvest.
Ask about this plantAt a glance
- Mature height
- Wild form: up to about 3–5 ft
- Mature spread
- Varies by form
- Light
- Full sun; wild form also tolerates partial shade
- Hardiness
- Varies by crop and cultivar
The right plant, the right place
Make room for something good.
A container can show the wild form's leaves and flowers. Cultivated forms offer different garden uses and sizes, so select the crop before planning its space.
Where to plant
Place wild cabbage in full sun or partial shade. Allow room for a plant that may reach about 3 to 5 feet tall.
Through the seasons
The wild form has large, fleshy lower leaves and yellow flowers. Flowering time is not established by the supplied information.
Southwest Washington gardens
Give it a good start.
Several cultivated forms can be grown for winter harvest west of the Cascades. Black leg and light leaf spot are important concerns for regional winter brassicas.
Soil, drainage & water
Give wild cabbage moist, well-drained, nitrogen-rich soil. Use guidance for the specific vegetable crop when planning its watering and feeding.
A little care goes a long way
Growing well, season after season.
Grow the wild form from seed. For cabbage, kale, broccoli, and other cultivated forms, follow planting and harvest guidance for the particular crop and cultivar.
Know what to look for
Common growing concerns.
Symptoms can have more than one cause. These notes are a starting point for observing your plant and improving its growing conditions.
Aphids on cultivated cole crops
Clusters on leaves or heads may accompany yellowing, stunting, sticky honeydew, or sooty mold.
Help your plant thrive
Check leaf undersides, buds, and heads. Wash off small colonies, encourage beneficial insects, and avoid excess nitrogen.
Black rot on cultivated cole crops
Yellow, V-shaped patches spread inward from leaf edges, often with darkened veins.
Help your plant thrive
Use disease-free seed, rotate crops, avoid overhead watering, and discard diseased plants rather than composting them.
Cabbage maggot on cultivated cole crops
Root tunneling can leave young plants yellow, stunted, wilted, or dead.
Help your plant thrive
Rotate crops and cover young plants before flies emerge. Avoid placing covers over previously infested soil.
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CC BY-SA 3.0 · Web-optimized
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