SafePlants

Cabbage: A Versatile Vegetable

Cabbage, scientifically known as Brassica oleracea, is a leafy green or purple biennial plant cultivated as an annual. It encompasses various cultivar groups within the Brassica family, including familiar red, white, and green varieties with tightly packed leaves, as well as cauliflower and broccoli.

Nomenclature and Taxonomy

• Scientific Name: Brassica oleracea
• Common Names: Cabbage, Headed Cabbage
• Belongs to the Brassica family (also known as the mustard family).
• Varieties include Brassica oleracea capitata.

Historical Context

• The term "cabbage" is derived from the French word "caboche" meaning "head".
• Descended from cabbage grown wild in Mediterranean regions thousands of years ago.

Quirky Facts

• One unusual fact is that the comparison of a head of cabbage to a person's head (usually disparagingly) dates back to Old French.
• The heaviest cabbage weighed 62.71 kg (138.25 lb) and was grown in Palmer, Alaska.

Culinary Uses

Cabbage is an unsung hero in the kitchen, offering versatility in various dishes. It is featured in recipes ranging from salads to fried and stuffed dishes, including traditional meals like corned beef and cabbage. It can be transformed with simple ingredients or used in more complex culinary creations.

Morphological Characteristics

Cabbages are large, round, leafy vegetables with different varieties harvested at different times. They come in various shades of green, as well as red or purple types. They are known for their modified-leafy structure.

Nutritional Value

Cabbage is a low-calorie, fiber-rich vegetable. It contains health-benefiting phyto-chemicals such as thiocyanates and indole-3-carbinol and is a good source of thiamin, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium.