Cabbage (Ornamental)

Description

Ornamental cabbage and kale are cool weather plants that need cool temperatures to produce best leaf colors. If grown in summer, however, plants will need some afternoon shade, perhaps to survive, but the foliage will fail to produce good leaf color in the absence of cool temperatures. Depending on temperatures, plants may survive until Thanksgiving or into December in some years. Ornamental cabbages and kales are grown primarily as foliage plants for their intensely colored leaves rather than as vegetables. Ornamental plants were developed for ornamental use without regard to taste. Ornamental cabbage typically develops large rosettes of broad flat leaves and ornamental kale typically develops curly, ruffled leaves in a tight rosette. Leaf colors are usually quite showy, including white/cream, pink, rose, red and purple.