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Cabbage Facts

Cabbage Facts
Cabbage is very popular vegetable that belongs to the family Brassicaceae. This plant is closely related to broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower. Domestic varieties originate from wild cabbage that naturally grows in England and Mediterranean areas. Cabbage requires a lot of waters and nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for successful growth. Cabbage is one of the oldest cultivated vegetables in Europe. It is part of human diet more than 1000 years. Cabbage has high nutritional value and it is often used in folk medicine for treatment of numerous diseases. Some types of cabbage are cultivated in ornamental purposes.
Interesting Cabbage Facts:
Cabbage grows 16 to 24 inches in height during the first year of life (during the formation of head) and 4.9 to 6.6 feet during the second year of life (when plant produces flowers).
First leaves are egg-shaped and alternately arranged on the stem. Depending on the variety, leaves can be green, white or purple in color and wavy, lobed or dissected on the edges.
Cabbage has thin taproot that usually grows 8 to 12 inches deep into the ground. Lateral roots can reach depth of 6.6 feet.
Cabbage develops yellow and white flowers gathered in terminal, unbranched inflorescence.
Insects are main pollinators of flowers. Cabbage needs to be planted 0.5 to one mile away from related species of cabbage to prevent cross-pollination.
Cabbage develops head 70 to 120 days after planting. Head can be elongated, pointed or rounded, depending on the variety. Rosette composed of 7 to 15 leaves can be seen at the beginning. Subsequent leaves are inwardly oriented. They have short petiole and develop close to each other, leading to the formation of densely packed head.
Flowering cabbages are grown for ornamental purposes. These types of cabbage do not develop heads. Instead, they have miniature white, red or pink leaves surrounded with larger green or purple leaves.
Most popular cultivars of cabbage are savoy, spring greens, green, red and white cabbage. They differ in color and in the shape and size of leaves and head.
Cabbage is rich source of vitamins C, K, B6 and B9 and minerals such as manganese and calcium.
Cabbage can be consumed raw (in the form of salads), cooked or pickled.
80.191 cabbage rolls weighing 1.221 pounds were prepared in Macedonia in 2008. This is still the largest ever made cabbage dish.
Cabbage can be used as laxative, to treat intestinal ulcers, engorged breasts, rheumatism, sore throat, melancholy and to extract excess heat from the body.
Latest studies showed that cabbage can prevent development of certain types of cancer.
China is the greatest manufacturer of cabbage, while Russia consumes the greatest amount of cabbage in the world: 44 pounds per person per year.
Cabbage is biennial plant, which means that it finishes its life cycle in two years.


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