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Brassica oleracea alboglabra - (L.H.Bailey)Musil.

Common Name Chinese Kale
Family Brassicaceae or Cruciferae
USDA hardiness Coming soon
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Not known in the wild, it probably originated in the Mediterranean and is very close to B. oleracea costata, the Couve tronchuda[206].
Range A cultivated form of B. oleracea.
Edibility Rating    (3 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Brassica oleracea alboglabra Chinese Kale


http://www.hear.org/starr/
Brassica oleracea alboglabra Chinese Kale
http://www.hear.org/starr/

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Brassica oleracea alboglabra is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in) at a fast rate.
It is not frost tender. It is in flower from May to August, and the seeds ripen from July to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

 Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers  Leaves  Shoots
Edible Uses:

Young flowering shoots and small leaves- raw or cooked[2, 16, 46]. Delicious if used when fairly young though they can become tough with age[206]. Older stems should be peeled[206]. All parts of the growing plant are used, including the developing inflorescence[200]. Plants take about 3 months from sowing to their first harvest[200]. Either the whole plant can be harvested, or, if a further harvest is required, just the terminal shoot is harvested which encourages the development of lateral shoots[200]. Yields of 2 kg per square metre can be obtained[200].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


None known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

An easily grown plant[206], it succeeds in full sun in a well-drained but moisture-retentive fertile preferably alkaline soil[16, 200, 206]. Prefers a heavy soil[16]. Plants prefer a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.5[200]. Succeeds in any reasonable soil[37]. Plants tolerate several degrees of frost once they are past the seedling stage[206]. They also tolerate higher summer temperatures than most members of this genus[206]. Closely related to broccoli (B. oleracea italica), this species is often cultivated in the Orient for its edible leaves and flowering stems[206, 264]. There are several named forms[206]. A perennial plant, it is usually cultivated as an annual [200]. It is fairly slow-growing, but it provides a crop over a long period in the summer and autumn[206]. In a suitable climate they can crop for a period of six months[264]. Most cultivars have been developed in the warmer parts of China and are best suited to warmer conditions than usually occur in Britain, though some forms have been developed that are more suitable for cooler conditions[200]. Plants can be transplanted, if moved under cover in the autumn they will continue to grow slowly and provide a crop all winter[206].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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Plant Propagation

Seed - sow in succession from late spring to late summer or even early autumn in favoured areas[206]. The heaviest yields are from the mid to late summer sowings[206]. Early sowings may bolt if there is a period of cold weather[206]. Cuttings of lateral shoots root easily and can be used to produce more plants[200].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

(Brassica oleracea) EUROPE: United Kingdom (U.K.) (coasts), Germany, Schleswig-Holstein, Spain (n. coast), France (w. & n. coasts).

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

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Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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(L.H.Bailey)Musil.

Botanical References

Links / References

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