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Annual Biennial

Brassica oleracea (Italica Group) 'Summer Purple'

calabrese 'Summer Purple'

A hardy biennial grown as an annual vegetable. A fast growing purple sprouting broccoli, sown in spring for harvesting from mid summer to early autumn

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

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H4
Botanical details
Family
Brassicaceae
Native to GB / Ireland
No
Foliage
Semi evergreen
Habit
Bushy
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

Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun or very light shade. Where possible, avoid growing brassicas in the same soil year on year, to prevent the build up of soil-borne diseases. See broccoli cultivation for more detailed advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seed for further advice

Pruning

Harvest when heads are well formed and tight, before flowers begin to open

Pests

May be susceptible to cabbage root fly, cabbage caterpillars, cabbage whitefly and mealy cabbage aphid

Diseases

May be susceptible to black leg, downy mildews, powdery mildews, and club root particularly in acidic soil

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