The scientific name of cabbage is Brassica oleracea var. capitata. Cabbage descended from wild cabbage also known as field cabbage or colewort. It has a history of cultivation going back some 4000 years. Cabbage is thought to have arrived in Europe around 600 B.C.
If you are given to commemorations, World Cabbage Day is celebrated on the 17th of February each year. Make a date!
Close family members of cabbage include cauliflower, broccoli, collard greens and Brussel sprouts. I never imagined collard greens would be anywhere near cabbage!
The cabbage family is the Brassicaceae and genus Brassica. In many parts of the world, cabbage can be grown pretty much all year round (with short breaks) as long as the conditions are cool. In the US, the southern states grow cabbage in fall, winter and spring months. The northern states tend to have some leeway to extend farming into summer. It is all about how cool the environment remains for best results. You may want to see these detailed conditions for growing cabbage that I prepared.
Like many home gardeners, I have had my hand at growing cabbage. It is a fantastic vegetable to grow and to eat. Even man’s best friend also loves cabbages as I wrote about here.
Although I have grown cabbage, green cabbage to be precise, as you shall see shortly below, there are many other types of cabbage out there.
Many of these are waiting for you, the home gardener, to take on and enjoy growing and eating them. I suppose it would be a nice personal challenge to grow as many of these as is possible in a home garden.
Table of Contents
How many types of cabbage are there?
There are some 400 plus kinds of cabbage grown on the planet. It looks like it may actually require more than a lifetime to complete the challenge of growing all these in a home garden. All these kinds of cabbages are distinguished from the next one by color, shape, nutritional value and even taste. It is an amazing pattern.
My research has led me to produce the following list. It is by no means exhaustive, but seems to include the most prominent cabbage varieties out there.
I am putting the list out here online not only to share with you but also as a note to self. I plan to come back to this list and attempt to grow each one of these types of cabbage in my home garden in the shortest possible time. You are welcome to join me!
Here we go…
1. Green type of cabbage
Green cabbage is probably the most commonly grown cabbage variety in many places. Consequently, it is also the most stocked cabbage type in many grocery store produce sections. There is just an over-supply of it, if you like.
Green cabbage is a herbaceous biennial plant. At the end of its life it perishes all of it. This type of cabbage forms a compact head on maturity which is known as the cabbage head. It is the cabbage head that is harvested for consumption in a variety of culinary forms.
Although known as green cabbage, the green color can be pale or dark green and anything in between. Green cabbage has smooth leaves in texture and can weigh between 0.5 to 4 kgs.
As for nutritional value, like all cabbage types, green cabbage contains Vitamin A, B6, C and K. It is low in calories making it suitable for weight loss diet. Green cabbage is also good for lowering blood sugar. It is a common staple for individuals seeking to control blood sugar.
Green Cabbage Varieties (Video)
Green cabbage type has many varieties. In this video an experienced grower shares their experience growing certain green cabbage varieties.
The following table summarizes the varieties reviewed by the grower in the video.
| Cabbage Variety | Maturity | Weight (Pounds) | Weight (Kgs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Acre | 53 days | 4lbs | 1.8kg |
| Stone Head | 63 days | 4lbs | 1.8kg |
| Copenhagen Market | 100 days | 4lbs | 1.8kg |
| Tropic Giant | 73 days | 15lbs | 6.8kgs |
2. White Cabbage
Then we have white cabbage. You may come across information categorizing white cabbage as a type of green cabbage. This is because white cabbage is essentially the pale version of green cabbage. I however decided to list it separately here in its own right.
White cabbage is also known as Dutch cabbage, speaking of the Netherlands where it is commonly found. One reason for the white color is the sun which turns the outer leaves into white. Apart from the sun, storing green cabbages in a dark place may also result in loss of chlorophyll leaving the pale white color through-out the cabbage.
Depending on preference this lack of pigmentation may easily be a turn off for some who prefer and are used to the regular green cabbage.
3. Red type of cabbage
This is also known as purple cabbage. Purple cabbage is renowned for its robust health promise. Among all types of cabbage, purple cabbage appears to carry the most sought after health benefits. Some people believe red cabbage is even a super food. For example, it has 10x more Vitamin A than green cabbage and 2x more iron than the green cabbage variety.
You will notice the interchangeable use of red and purple names in many literature. The fact of the matter is that red cabbage and purple cabbage are one and the same. What varies is the pigmentation intensity. The high concentration of anthocyanin pigments is responsible for the red color found in this type of cabbage. You may have a look at this dedicated article I did looking at red cabbage in detail.
4. Napa cabbage or Chinese cabbage
Ever heard of Chinese cabbage? This is probably the more common name than Napa cabbage although they are one and the same. This cabbage kind is also sometimes referred to as celery cabbage. It is scientifically identified as B. rapa, variety pekinensis.
Chinese cabbage falls into the Pekinensis group. It is a staple of Northeastern Chinese cuisine and commonly used to make the dish suancai. This cabbage type grew in popularity in Asia thanks to its medicinal properties.
Napa cabbage comes in the form of the unmistakable slender cylindrical heads which are easily noticeable in the produce section of any grocery store. The so-called heads can grow up to 30cm/12 inch tall. Chinese cabbage is not only a staple in Asia but is widely available in North America and many other parts of the world.
I even tried to regrow Chinese cabbage from scraps in this post where I document my attempt.
5. Bok Choy
Bok Choy is also among the many types of cabbage. However, it is a close variation of Napa cabbage mentioned just above. Also known as spoon cabbage in some circles, scientifically it is identified as B. rapa, variety chinensis.
Unlike the Chinese cabbage which has a tighter head, Bok Choy has a loose head. Its leaves are glossy dark green supported by white stalks which are thick and crispy.
According to some sources, a 70g cup of Bok Choy delivers the following nutrition profile…
- 9 calories1.53 g of carbohydrates
- 0.7 g of dietary fiber
- 0 g of cholesterol
- 0.067 g of polyunsaturated fat
- 74 mg of calcium
- 0.56 mg of iron
- 13 mg of magnesium
- 26 mg of phosphorus
- 176 mg of potassium
- 46 mg of sodium
- 0.13 mg of zinc
- 31.5 mg of vitamin C
- 46 micrograms (mcg) of folate
- 156 mcg of vitamin A (RAE)
- 31.9 mcg of vitamin K
6. Savoy Cabbage
Savoy type of cabbage is most recognizable anywhere you encounter it by its wrinkly leaves which are well defined. Its origins have been associated with Europe namely Britain and the Netherlands. The name Savoy itself comes from a region in France.
Scientifically, the cabbage is identified as Brassica oleracea var. sabauda L and thrives in winter conditions.
Although wrinkled, the leaves of this cabbage are tender and crunchy. Savoy cabbage is reported to have the following nutritional profile per cup…
- 19 caloriesSodium 19.8mg
- Potassium 161m
- Dietary Fiber 2.1g
- Sugars 1.8g
- Protein 1.2g
- Vitamin A 14%
- Vitamin C 36%
- Calcium 2%
- Copper 2%
- Thiamin 3%
- Iron 2%
- Niacin 1%
- Vitamin B6 7%
- Riboflavin 1%
- Magnesium 5%
- Phosphorus 3%
- Pantothenic Acid 1%
- Zinc 1%
7. January King type of cabbage
This cabbage type was developed in northern Europe. It is renowned for its reasonable ability to withstand cold winters. Scientifically, the cabbage is identified as Brassica oleracea var. capitata
This cabbage kind develops a tight head with purple surrounding leaves. It grows to up to 2kgs in weight and is ready for harvest between 120 and 160 days. January King is a culinary delicacy and a favorite to grow for many home growers around Europe.
Under the correct conditions, it has a minimum germination rate of 75% and germinates in soils of 55–75°F.
8. Tuscan cabbage
Also known as cavolo nero, Tuscan cabbage is a type of cabbage out of Tuscany in Italy. Its other name is black cabbage owing to its deep green pigmentation which is so deep so as to resemble black.
The cabbage does not develop a head such as the purple or green cabbage. Rather it has a resemblance of Bok Choy cabbage we talked about earlier. It has a sweet aftertaste which follows what has been described as a tangy, bitter flavour.
Apart from eating it raw, the cabbage can also be boiled or steamed.
9. Cannonball Cabbage
Cannonball cabbage is yet another type of cabbage which for all intents and purposes resembles a cannon ball. It is grown by home gardeners as a space saving variety. Typically, this cabbage grows into a small compact head. For this reason it is considered a space saver only requiring spacing of 30-40cm between the plants.
The cabbage itself is tender and sweetly flavoured. Cannonball cabbage is grown in many places including New Zealand. It requires full sun and takes 8-20 weeks to reach maturity.
As for culinary application, the cannonball cabbage is great for coleslaw and can also be used in some hot dishes.
10. Pointed cabbage
Finally we have the pointed cabbage. This is the same cabbage type known as sweetheart cabbage, hearted cabbage, sugarloaf or Hispi cabbage. Scientifically it is identified as Brassica oleracea capitata ‘Hispi’. As the name would suggest, structurally, the cabbage has a conical or pointed shape. This pointed head is where it also acquires the name hearted cabbage.
It has a mild flavour and tender texture. By weight, pointed cabbage can be as heavy as 2kgs. It is just as green cabbage is if you like, save for the shape. As such its leaves come just as green as you find in the regular rounded green cabbage head.
This pointed cabbage type is considered a fast growing variety which suits small gardens with space limitations. The cabbage thrives in well-drained loamy or sandy soils with an alkaline or neutral pH. It performs well even when planted at about 30cm apart. This makes it also suitable to grow in small spaces just as the cannonball variety.
As for culinary applications, the sweetheart cabbage has a sweet flavour and can be used in raw salads, stir-fries and steamed veggies.
Conclusion
There are clearly many types of cabbage available to try out beyond the traditional green cabbage. At this point, I seem to be biased towards the red or purple cabbage after taking into account its health benefits. However, as a home gardener I am eager to tackle this list one-by-one until I have had an opportunity to grow all of them and more. You are cordially invited to the challenge!
