Herb: Perpetual Kale


Latin name: Brassica oleracea ramosa


Family: Cruciferae



Edible parts of Perpetual Kale:

Leaves - raw or cooked. A strong cabbage flavour, they are delicious if used when fairly young though they can become tough with age. The leaves are usually available from autumn to late spring, and can be harvested all through the winter in all but the very coldest of seasons. Young flowering shoots - raw or cooked. Picked before the flowers open, they are fairly tender and can be used as part of a mixed salad. When cooked, they have a delicious flavour similar to sprouting broccoli.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Biennial/Perennial


Height:
90 cm
(2 feet)

Flowering:
May to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Not known in the wild.

Propagation of Perpetual Kale:

Seed - sow in a seedbed outdoors in April/May. Plant out into their permanent positions in the summer as space permits. Do not let the seedlings get overcrowded or they will soon become leggy and will not make such good plants. If your seedlings do get leggy, it is possible to plant them rather deeper into the soil - the buried stems will soon form roots and the plant will be better supported. The perennial forms can be increased by cuttings. These can be taken at almost any time that they are available. Use shoots about 8cm long of the current year's growth and place them in individual pots in the cuttings frame. They root very quickly and easily.

Cultivation of the herb:

Not known in the wild.

Medicinal use of Perpetual Kale:

None known

Known hazards of Brassica oleracea ramosa:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.