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Brassica oleracea( Botrytis Group)
Plant Family
Brassicaceae
Brassica oleracea( Botrytis Group)
Photo by: ©DOLEZAL PUBLISHING/JOHN M. RICKARD
Plant Common Name
Cauliflower
General Description
A pleasure to grow as well as to eat, cauliflower is an excellent choice for the cool-season vegetable garden. Grown as an annual, it traces its ancestry to Brassica oleracea, a fleshy-leaved, short-lived perennial from coastal areas of western and southern Europe. When mature, it produces large, fleshy, central heads of flower buds, which are harvested and eaten before the flowers open. The heads are borne on thick short stalks above whorls of long leathery blue-green leaves. Cauliflower varieties are usually white, although orange cauliflower cultivars are now on the market. Hybrids between cauliflower and broccoli are also available; they typically have yellow-green or purple heads. Cauliflower develops no side shoots, so bears only one crop. Plants do poorly in hot weather, becoming lanky and flowering rathering than remaining in bud. Depending on the variety, cauliflower takes 50 to 80 days from sowing to harvest. This cool weather crop prefers full sun and fertile, organic-rich garden soil with ample drainage. Cauliflower should be planted as seed or transplants in early spring before temperatures heat up, or in summer for fall harvest. It is rewarding to grow and well worth the effort. As with all members of Brassica oleracea, it is susceptible to cabbage loopers and several other types of caterpillars. The botrytis group of brassicas also includes perennial broccoli, which produces small heads of creamy flower buds on waist-high stems. Look for cultivar 'Nine Star'.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
6 - 1
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Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Vegetable
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun
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Height
12"-36" / 30.5cm - 91.4cm
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Width
1'-2' / 0.3m - 0.6m
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Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Early Fall, Fall
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Native To
Southern Europe, Western Europe, Mediterranean
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Neutral
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Soil Drainage
Well Drained
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Soil type
Loam, Sand
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Growth Rate
Fast
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Water Requirements
Average Water
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Habit
Clump-Forming
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Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
Light Yellow
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Light Green, Blue Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Light Green, Blue Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Light Green, Blue Green
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Fragrant Flowers
Yes
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
Yes
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
No
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
Yes
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Foliage Texture
Bold
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
Semi-Evergreen
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Showy Bark
No
Special Characteristics
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Usage
Edible, Herb / Vegetable
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Sharp or Has Thorns
No
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Invasive
No
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Attracts
Butterflies
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Self-Sowing
No
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