Ornamental cabbage is a must-have in autumnal planting arrangements for its vibrant color, unique form and foliage, and durable performance. Depending on your climate, cabbage survives all winter (mild regions) or performs best in fall and early spring (cold zones).
Thick, colorful foliage creates textural variety in rosettes of green, creamy white, deep pink, purple, and red. Color intensifies in cool temperatures, transitioning from green to a blend of saturated pigments as summer turns to fall.
Here are 11 dazzling varieties of ornamental cabbage and how to use them in your garden!
What is Ornamental Cabbage?
Ornamental cabbage differs from ornamental kale because it is less frilly and ruffly. It may have broad and flat leaves, sometimes edged in contrasting colors. Both belong to the same family as edible cabbages and kales, Brassicaceae, though ornamentals tend to have a more bitter flavor. Itβs their showy foliage that steals the show.
Arrange ornamental cabbage with other leafy vegetables, such as bright lettuces and Swiss chard varieties with colorful stems. They make wonderful snapdragon, pansy, and viola accents.
Pair them with fall-blooming perennials like sedum, coreopsis, helenium, and asters for a diverse display of contrasts. Some selections make beautiful additions to fresh floral arrangements, resembling flowers on stems with a good vase life. Theyβre also a fit for a seasonal display with gourds and pumpkins.
Cabbage, with its broad, softly rounded leaves and open rosettes, lends an anchoring accent to the annual display, border, or container. Arrange them as single-color groups or in a mix (many are sold in mixes). Grow them in full-sun garden locations. They perform best in evenly moist soils with good drainage.
βColor Up Purpleβ
The βColor Upβ series has an upright growth habit with a columnar-like mounding form. βColor Up Purpleβ features the richest coloration of the group with a fuchsia center.
βColor Upβ stands out in the border among muted hues and complements jewel tones. Soft, rounded blue-green foliage surrounds its violet core, creating a lovely contrast.
Others in the series include βColor Up Pinkβ in sweet bubblegum shades and βColor Up Whiteβ in crisp, creamy ivory among rich greens.
βOsaka Whiteβ
βOsakaβ brings semi-wavy leaves around a tightly packed, compact head. Plants are uniform and fast-growing for reliable vigor and color.
βOsaka Whiteβ is a clean, bright selection. Pinkish-ivory centers give way to creamy white centers surrounded by bluish-green with white midribs.
The dwarf cabbages grow to one foot wide. They make crisp front-of-the-border accents or container fillers.
βCrane Redβ
The βCraneβ series creates mini-bouquets of cabbage that resemble blooms. Small rosettes top long, sturdy stems like rising flowers.
Plant groups or masses of βCraneβ in seasonal displays or as focal points in containers. Underplant with annuals like pansies, violas, snapdragons, calendula, and bright lettuces to soften the stems. The arrangement creates a floating floral effect with unique foliage.
βCrane Redβ has deep purple-green outer foliage that holds violet centers. The cupped rosettes are also lovely in βCrane Pinkβ with soft, rosy pink centers and βCrane Whiteβ in ivory and blush. Not every cabbage makes a pretty cut βflower,β but this crown adds to fresh seasonal displays.
βPigeon Purpleβ
This round-leaf variety has a deep glow in autumn hues of velvety purple and magenta. Its foliage resembles a multi-petaled rose and reaches one foot wide.
βPigeon Purpleβ is a rounded, compact, small-leaved selection with good frost tolerance. Green and purple leaves have dark plum and slightly wavy margins.
βPigeon Victoriaβ
βVictoriaβ continues the dwarf, well-rounded habit of the βPigeonβ series, this one in pink and white bicolor. Shades of deep rose develop to ballet pink with a perimeter of true green.
βPigeonβ shows the best color when, like most ornamental cabbages, temperatures drop below 55Β°F (13Β°C) for consistent days. Other colors in the series besides βPurpleβ and βVictoriaβ include βRedβ and βWhite.β
βLucir Whiteβ
Like the βCraneβ series, βLucirβ creates a lovely floral effect from its cupped foliar forms on tall stalks. βLucirβ combines the coloration and growth habit of βCraneβ with glossy leaves. The less waxy, glaucous foliage means a shiny luster and more pigment-rich color saturation.
βLucir Whiteβ is quite a pretty cabbage with a rim of dark green and light venation. The dark perimeter gives way to a broad wash of ivory βpetalsβ (inner foliage). The heart of the rosette is creamy pink.
Since the heads rise on thick, sturdy stems, a soft underplanting rounds out the aesthetic. In addition to blooming annuals, consider other leafy greens like parsley and black-seeded Simpson lettuce for variation.
βOsaka Redβ
Another star of the βOsakaβ series, βRedβ brings early color. Mature royal purple leaves surround a magenta interior.Β
Leaves are slightly wavy with lightly serrated margins. Showy veins and stems highlight leaves in bright cerise and pink.
These cabbage types feature the same uniform, dense, mounded growth of the series. The compact, fast-growers are good selections for areas with short growing seasons.
βEmpire Lubaβ
The βEmpireβ series features compact, rounded foliage masquerading as rose petals. Like βCraneβ and βLucir,β βEmpireβ has rosettes that top tall, sturdy stems, this time in magenta.
βEmpire Lubaβ is perhaps the βrosiestβ of them all. Its βpetalsβ are tightly packed leaves that form a compact rosette. Rosy pink centers open to vanilla pink with hints of light green and lilac. Surrounding leaves are deep green.
βEmpire Lubaβ is a uniform variety with an extended vase life in fresh floral arrangements. This one is eye-catching in the garden border, potted arrangement, or tabletop bouquet.
βSongbird Redβ
βSongbirdβ is a sweet selection that nestles in beautifully among pansies, bright lettuce greens, and Swiss chard. βSongbird Redβ opens with deep purple outer leaves to reveal a rich violet-red core. Pair it with deep blues and mauve for analogous shades and yellows, oranges, and white for contrast.
The βSongbirdβ series features a high βpetalβ count with mirrored, symmetrical leaves. Each rounded leaf has a slight wave for added texture. Leaves grow upright for improved airflow and disease resistance. βSongbirdβ is available in pink, white, and a mix.
βCrystal Snowβ
βCrystalβ brings high shine and reflection to its pink, rose, red, and white foliar colors. Leaves are glossy and less waxy than other ornamentals with early color saturation.
βCrystal Snowβ has bright ivory interiors with pale pink centers. Outer leaves are deep green with white venation. Leaves have a slightly wavy and rolled margin.
βCrystalβ tolerates frosty and warm conditions. Its vigorous growth and early color make it a good option for extended decoration.
βRed Acreβ
βRed Acreβ is a beautiful cabbage for the vegetable garden or mixed edible arrangement, bridging the ornamental and culinary. It makes the list because its jewel-toned violet and magenta globes shine in containers, raised beds, and small spaces. Its sweet flavor is perfect for fresh salads and stir-fries.Β
The rounded heads are small and compact, measuring five to seven inches at maturity. βRed Acreβ is disease-resistant with a good shelf life in cool storage.
Embellish βRed Acreβ with edible-themed cool-season plantings like sage, parsley, oregano, and thyme. Pansies, violas, snapdragons, and calendula are pretty enhancements with edible flowers.