Ornamental Kale

Introduction

In autumn, chrysanthemums and pansies are the predominant plants offered for seasonal colour. But another cold-tolerant plant without flowers can help brighten the garden when lots of other plants are looking tired and ready for winter. Ornamental kale is the same species as edible cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower and kale (Brassica oleracea) but have much fancier and more colourful foliage than their cousins from the vegetable garden. While these plants are sometimes offered as “flowering” cabbage and kale, they are grown for their large rosettes of colourful leaves, not the flowers. These plants are very showy and come in a variety of colours, ranging from white to pinks, purples or reds.

Even though they are technically all kales, those types with deeply-cut, curly, frilly or ruffled leaves are called ornamental kale, while the ones with broad, flat leaves often edged in a contrasting colour are called ornamental cabbage. The plants grow about a foot wide and 15” tall.

What are the best growing conditions for ornamental kale?

Until it gets cool, the plants won’t have much colour. The white, pink, or red pigments really begin to show with frost and cold weather, getting great, vivid colours below 10°C. They really are cool-weather plants, and once acclimated they can survive temperatures as low as -15°C! So they last well into November and December. Ornamental kale likes full sun and rich, well-drained soil. Kale can be planted in the garden or in containers.

Companion planting with ornamental kale

Ornamental kale does a brilliant job of adding texture and vibrancy to your garden and is recommended to be planted with other cool-temperature plants such as:

• Chrysanthemums
• Snapdragons
• Violas
• Pansies

Can you eat ornamental kale?

The short answer is yes- so you have no need to worry when it comes to safety concerns. However, while ornamental kales are edible, they tend to have a bitter flavour and are often used in a culinary setting as garnishes.