2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Brassica - a spectacular decorative-leaved plant from the Cruciferous family. Another name for the plant is ornamental cabbage.
Description
Brassica is a herbaceous biennial, in the overwhelming majority of cases grown as an annual. The powerful taproot of this plant often penetrates as much as half a meter deep into the soil!
The leaves of tall forms of brassica can be either curved or straight, both wide and narrow, while they all boast a truly amazing and incredible "finish" of the edges - these edges can be as varied as you like: wavy, jagged, deep or slightly split, as well as finely curled or folded!
As for the color of the brassica leaves, it can be either monochromatic or variegated, or passing within one leaf from one color to another. And the color of the leaves can be gray or light green, dark or light red, as well as purple or lilac. At the same time, the rosette forms of the brassica are most often painted in two or even three colors, however, the outer leaves still remain green.
Where grows
The homeland of brassica is considered to be the Atlantic coast of the European continent, but today this plant will not be difficult to see in many Mediterranean states and in a number of Asian countries.
Usage
In culture, only decorative garden forms of brassica are used, both rosette and tall, from sixty centimeters to one and a half meters high.
Brassica is an excellent material for creating a wide variety of interior compositions. By the way, arrangements with ornamental cabbage have long been presented to young couples who want to have a baby! And in all sorts of garden compositions, due to its very impressive size, the brassica allows you to create an excellent optical center! That is why it is most often used in relatively small quantities. As for the incredibly decorative leaves of this plant, they are often used separately, for example, to obtain new textures in the transformation technique.
Brassica is also quite actively used in the design of flower beds, flowerpots and borders, in addition, a number of modern hybrids of this beauty are quite successfully grown as a potted plant!
Brassica goes especially well with all sorts of conifers, in particular, with spruce or mountain pine. It is in perfect harmony with a great variety of ornamental shrubs, including juniper and boxwood. Brassica also gets along well with hyacinths and tulips!
But keeping brassica is an extremely difficult task. This plant, having pruned before setting, is recommended to be placed only in cold water, to which "Chrysal" was previously added. And this beauty needs frequent water changes! Even so, ornamental cabbage will only last one to four days!
Growing and caring
Growing brassica, as a rule, does not present any particular difficulties - when growing it, the same agrotechnical methods are used as when growing well-known white cabbage. And this beauty does not need any special care, since she can boast of a very impressive unpretentiousness!
Also, during the summer season, brassica, if desired, can be transplanted from one place to another, and it is not forbidden to do this repeatedly! The most important thing is to always transplant it along with an impressive earthy clod, after which the plant will immediately need to be watered abundantly!
