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Annual Biennial

Brassica oleracea (Italica Group) 'Kabuki'
  • RHS AGM

calabrese 'Kabuki'

An annual vegetable with large, lobed, oblong, blue-green leaves and a central head of densely packed, blue-green flowers which is harvested as calabrese or broccoli while still in bud. This is a compact, quick-maturing cultivar, producing tight, domed heads, and good for growing at close spacing

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Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metres
Time to ultimate height
1 year
Ultimate spread
0.1–0.5 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Blue Green
Summer Blue Green Blue Green
Autumn Blue Green Blue Green
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H3
Botanical details
Family
Brassicaceae
Native to the UK
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

Best grown in firm, fertile soil in full sun. Harvest in late summer, before the buds open; a second crop of small shoots will follow. See calabrese cultivation for more detailed advice

Propagation

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

Suggested planting locations and garden types
Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to damage by birds and caterpillars

Diseases

May be susceptible to club root

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