Annual
Ornamental Cabbage/Kale
Brassica oleracea · Brassicaceae
Also called: Flowering Cabbage, Flowering Kale, Ornamental Kale
Ornamental Cabbage/Kale (Brassica oleracea) is a moderate-water annual well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It grows to 10-18 in tall and 12-18 in wide, with a moderate growth rate.
Ornamental Cabbage/Kale at a glance
- Water use
- Moderate (established)
- Sun
- Full sun in the cool season produces the most intense leaf color (color is triggered by cool nights). Tolerates light afternoon shade.
- Mature size
- 10-18 in tall and 12-18 in wide
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Bloom
- Grown for foliage rosettes in white, cream, pink, rose, and purple centered with green; insignificant yellow flowers at bolting, Foliage color displays fall through early spring (peak after cool snaps, Dec-Feb).
- Cold hardiness
- Very cold-hardy; tolerates Tucson frosts and light freezes (color deepens with cold). Cannot tolerate summer heat and bolts in spring.
- Soil
- Rich, well-drained soil amended generously with compost; tolerates Tucson's alkaline soil with added organic matter.
- Native range
- Cultivated forms of Brassica oleracea (wild cabbage native to coastal Europe). Grown as a cool-season ornamental annual in Tucson.
- Best used as
- Cool-season color beds and borders, Containers and patio pots, Mass plantings for winter interest, Edging
- Wildlife
- Low wildlife value; rabbits and javelina may browse the tender foliage, so protect plantings.
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic to people and pets; technically edible (a Brassica oleracea cultivar) though grown as an ornamental and bred for looks rather than flavor.
How to grow Ornamental Cabbage/Kale in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
A cool-season annual: set out transplants in fall (Oct-Nov) for color through winter and early spring. Keep soil evenly moist; water when the top inch dries. Color intensifies after cold snaps; plants bolt and lose form once spring heat arrives.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Feed with a balanced fertilizer at planting and lightly every 3-4 weeks; moderate nitrogen keeps foliage lush without forcing the plant to stretch and lose its tight rosette.
Pruning & care
Remove yellowing or pest-damaged outer leaves; pull and replace once plants bolt (send up a flower stalk) in spring. Watch for aphids and cabbage loopers.
Notes
An ideal Tucson winter color plant: set out nursery transplants in fall for bold rosettes that color up through our cool nights and shrug off frost. Plan to replace in spring when warming temperatures cause it to bolt and lose its compact form. A great frost-proof alternative when tender annuals would be damaged.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension / Pima County Master Gardeners; Tucson Organic Gardeners Planting Guide