Cauliflower
Brassica oleracea var. botrytis

Family: Brassicaceae

What it is like

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.

There are about 30 Brassica species and many cultivated varieties.

Where it is found

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 Papua New Guinea 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.

Countries/locations it is found in

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, 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

How it is used for food

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.

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

Edible parts

Flowers, leaves, vegetable, seeds sprouts

How it is grown

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.

Its other names

Local names

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

Synonyms

Brassica botrytis (L.) Miller; Brassica cauliflora Garsault;