Wild Cabbage
Wild Cabbage, sea cliff, Dorset
Complete plant
Single flower with anthers
Flowers over-topped by buds
Upper leaves clasping stem
Brassica oleracea var. oleracea
Sea Cabbage, Cabbage
Brassicaceae
May to August
Native Wild Cabbage is found on sea cliffs and maritime
grassland around most of the coast.
Escapes are scattered throughout the country.
See the BSBI distribution map for Wild Cabbage
It grows on chalk and limestone sea-cliffs and maritime
grassland.Inland, garden escapes and relics of
cultivation grow on wasteland and field margins.
Wild Cabbage is a native, perennial herb, growing up
to 60cm.
Flowers are pale yellow, up to 40mm across, and open
from the bottom of the flower spike.
Leaves are blueish-grey, large and stalked at the base
of the plant and clasping the stem higher up.
The stem is woody at the base and irregularly curved.
Wild cabbage has given rise to a variety of cultivated
forms (cabbage, kale, broccoli and brussels sprouts).
While the vegetative parts of these plants differ
considerably, the flowers remain similar.
Previous page: White Clover
Next page: Wild Mignonette
Wild Cabbage, sea cliff, Dorset
Complete plant
Single flower with anthers
Flowers over-topped by buds
Upper leaves clasping stem
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