Brassica oleracea (Italica Group) 'Red Spear'

RHS Plant Profile
broccoli (purple sprouting) 'Red Spear'

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Annual Biennial

A hardy biennial grown as an annual vegetable. A heavy yielding, vigorous variety with dark purple spears noted for its excellent performance in the garden. It can be harvested early in the year, between Feb-March, when the kitchen garden can be scarce

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1 year
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained or Moist but well–drained
pH
Neutral or Alkaline

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H4

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Brassicaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming
Genus
Brassicas can be annual, biennial or perennial plants, most are upright with alternate, often glaucous leaves, long taproots and clusters of cross-shaped, yellow or white flowers. The genus includes a number of species bred to produce food crops, such as cabbages, turnips, mustards and oilseed rape, as well as others grown for their ornamental value
Name Status
Unresolved

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, well compacted, moist but well drained, non-acid soil in full sun. Sow indoors between March and April and transplant out in June or sow direct between March and June at a depth of 1cm and 30cm apart. See broccoli cultivation for more detailed advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds or sowing seeds indoors for further advice

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to birds, cabbage root fly, cabbage whitefly, cabbage caterpillar, cutworms, flea beetle, slugs and snails

Diseases

May be susceptible to black rot, club root, grey mould, downy mildew, leaf spot