Brassica oleracea var. botrytis

Cauliflower

Brassicaceae Edible: Flowers, Leaves, Vegetable, Seeds sprouts 20,543 iNaturalist observations

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Peter de Lange

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Joseph Knight

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Joseph Knight

Summary

Source: Wikipedia

Brassica oleracea, also known as wild cabbage in its uncultivated form, is a plant of the family Brassicaceae. The species originated from feral populations of related plants in the Eastern Mediterranean, where it was most likely first cultivated. It has many common cultivars that are used as culinary vegetables, including cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, romanesco, kale, Brussels sprout, collard, Savoy cabbage, kohlrabi, and gai lan.

Description

A herb. It is a cabbage family plant which develops a thick white edible flower in the centre. These can be yellow or purple. It has broad leaves around a thick stalk. The leaves clasp the stem. The leaves are oval and fleshy. The flowers are yellow.

Edible Uses

The thick flower head is cooked and eaten. The leaves are edible, and the flower stalk and midveins of larger leaves are used in cauliflower soup. The seed sprouts are also eaten.

Traditional Uses

The thick white flower is cooked and eaten. The leaves are edible. The flower stalk and midveins of larger leaves are used in cauliflower soup. The seed sprouts are eaten.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It mostly grows in the highlands in the tropics but has been grown from sea level to 2600 m altitude. In PNG it is best above 1,100 m above sea level. It is frost resistant. The best temperature is 14-21°C. In Nepal it grows up to 1800 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 8-11.

Where It Grows

Africa, Andorra, Asia, Australia, Austria, Balkans, Bangladesh, Britain, Cambodia, Canada, Caucasus, Central America, China, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, East Africa, East Timor, Egypt, Ethiopia, Europe, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Laos, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mediterranean, Middle East, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, Poland, Scandinavia, SE Asia, Sikkim, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Switzerland, Syria, Tasmania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uruguay, USA, Vanuatu, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

They are normally grown from seeds and transplanted. Because plants cross pollinate and seed production requires low temperatures seed collecting is neither easy nor very successful.

Other Information

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. In Papua New Guinea, mainly only grown by a few people for sale to Europeans.

Notes

There are about 30 Brassica species and many cultivated varieties.

Nutrition

Part	Moisture	kJ	kcal	Protein	Vit A	Vit C	Iron	Zinc
Flower - raw	90.7	117	28	2	2	46.4	0.9	0.4
Flower - boiled	90.7	96	23	3	2	44.3	0.3	0.2
Flower + stalk - raw	92.7	50	12	1.9	30	60	0.5	0.3
Flowers + stalk	94.5	40	10	1.6	30	20	0.4	0.2
Leaves	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Seed Sprouts	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Synonyms

Brassica botrytis (L.) MillerBrassica cauliflora Garsault

Also Known As

Bloemkoolblad, Blumkol, Coliflor, Cvetača, Hua ye cai, Fulkopi, Kalam dok, Kalampii dook, Kaule, Kol bunga, Koli flawa, Kori, Kubis bunga, Monla-paw, Pan-kobi, Pan-mon-la, Parbawr, Phkaa spei, Phool ghoni, Phul-kopi, Sofilera, Thaba-paw, Ye ts'oi fa

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Bianchini, F., Corbetta, F., and Pistoia, M., 1975, Fruits of the Earth. Cassell. p 64
Brouk, B., 1975, Plants Consumed by Man. Academic Press, London. p 97

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