Costa Farms

 

Passionate about plants? So are we! Costa Farms is a wholesale grower that discovers, develops, and grows plants for your home and life -- indoors and out. We’re your online gardening resource for plant info and inspiration. Our articles, blogs, tips, and photos help you use plants to beautify your living spaces and enhance your life.

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Flowering Kale

Brassica oleracea

Flowering Kale Plant Features

Flowering kale, and its close cousin, flowering cabbage will add bursts of much-needed color to your early spring or fall garden. A snap to grow, both flowering kale and cabbage, love cool weather and can tolerate light frosts. They look terrific in containers mixed with other cool-weather plants such as ajuga, sweet alyssum, and pansy. Both plants sport boldly colored leaves in a painterly mix of pink, purple, white, and red. Plus, the plants are edible! Hardy from zones 6-11.

It's often hard to tell flowering kale and cabbage apart. As a general rule, flowering kale has a looser growth habit than its close relative. But, since both have similar needs and growth habits you don't really have to worry about which one you have in your garden. Flowering kale and cabbage are both biennial in nature and will survive over the winter in the southern part of their range. However, the plants don't look that great in their second year so we recommend treating the plants as annuals.

Get ideas for decorating with flowering kale, flowering cabbage, and other fall plants. 

Flowering Kale Questions?
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Flowering Kale Growing Instructions

Sun worshippers, flowering kale and cabbage do best in a spot that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day. Mass them in beds by themselves or use them to add color to pots and planters. They prefer a rich, slightly moist soil, but can miss a few waterings without too much harm. Use a slow-release granular fertilizer to keep them fed. If left in the ground over the summer, flowering kale and cabbage may be attacked by the cabbage looper caterpillar. Use a natural control such as Bacillus thuringiensis to keep the pests at bay.


  • Light

    Outside: Sun

  • Colors

    Green, Pink, Purple, Red, Variegated, White

  • Water

    Medium water needs

  • Special Features

    Colorful foliage
    Super-easy to grow


Complement your Flowering Kale with these varieties:
Pansy
Create a festive fall or spring container with a mix of pansies and flowering kale.


Varieties: Our Favorites

Brassica oleracea 'Glamour Red' Glamour Red Flowering Kale

Brassica oleracea 'Glamour Red'

Glamour Red is an All-America Selections award-winning variety that boasts excellent heat tolerance and intense red-purple coloring in the frilly leaves. It grows 1 foot tall and wide.

Brassica oleracea 'Pigeon Purple' Pigeon Purple Flowering Kale

Brassica oleracea 'Pigeon Purple'

Pigeon Purple flowering kale shows off blue-green wavy leaves that turn a rich purple-red color in the center. It grows 1 foot tall and wide.