Brassica oleracea (Italica Group) 'Summer Purple'

RHS Plant Profile

calabrese 'Summer Purple'

Annual Biennial

Buy this from Plant Nurseries
2 Suppliers

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

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Clay, Loam, Chalk

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

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

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam Chalk

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

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: 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