Cauliflower. Brassica oleracea. Botrytis Cultivar Group, (Mustard Family) Crucifers (Cruciferae) or Cabbage Family (Brassicaceae), Commonly Known As: Cabbage. We wish to thank Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for some of the information, and images on our page. We share information, images, and donate to Wikipedia. Cauliflower is one of several vegetables in the species Brassica oleracea, in the plant family Brassicaceae. Cauliflower is an annual plant that reproduces by seed. Usually, only the head (the white curd) is eaten. The cauliflower head is composed of a base of what is called the white inflorescence meristem. The inflorescence meristem is responsible for primary growth, or an increase in length or height of the cauliflower. The meristem or growing tip is made up of three layers. The epidermal (L1) and subepidermal (L2) layers form the outer layers called the tunica. The inner L3 layer is called the corpus. Cells in the L1 and L2 layers divide in a sideways fashion, which keeps these layers distinct, whereas the L3 layer divides in a more random fashion. The inflorescence meristem generates copies of itself indefinitely, turning these copies into the curd of the cauliflower that we eat. The cauliflower heads (curd) resemble those in broccoli, which differs in having flower buds. Brassica oleracea also includes broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, and kale, though they are of different cultivar groups. The cauliflower heads grow into four different colors or forms of curd; white, violet, orange, or green (Fractal Shape); depending upon their different cultivar groups. We have placed photos of these different curds upon this page. All of these cauliflower were, thought to have been domesticated from one ancestral species, the wild cabbage, Brassica oleracea. It is thought (but not known for sure) to be native to the coastal cliffs of the northern Mediterranean and western Europe, from Greece to the British Isles. Wild cabbage has a growth habit typical of many members of the family Brassicaceae (Cruciferae), with broad, spreading leaves and a branched flowering stem (inflorescence) carrying many individual flowers Here Are Some Of The More Popular Types Of Cauliflower: They vary in size and taste. Smaller varieties tend to mature faster, while larger varieties take a little longer. If you live in an area with a short spring season, you may want to plant smaller varieties in the beginning of the year. If the fall season tends to last a little longer, you can plant a larger variety then. Snow Crown Hybrid Cauliflower: One of the easiest cauliflowers to grow. Vigorous, rapid growth and long harvest. Snow-white, 2-lb. heads are 7-8 in. across and very flavorful. 55 DAYS. Snow Crown Hybrid Cauliflower: One of the easiest cauliflowers to grow. Vigorous, rapid growth and long harvest. Snow-white, 2-lb. heads are 7-8 in. across and very flavorful. 55 DAYS. Farmer's Extra-Early Cauliflower: Produces fine-beaded heads of snow white color. Extremely heat resistant; slow to bolt.. 40 DAYS. Graffiti Hybrid Cauliflower: Medium-size, violet heads of superior quality retain most of their color after cooking! Reliable yields are resistant to downy mildew... 85 DAYS. Decide on the site for your cauliflower some months in advance of planting. 1. Determine the last expected spring frost date for your area. Plan to plant your cauliflower 2 or 3 weeks before the last frost-free date. 2. Cultivate your planting area to break up any hard soil, keeping your rows about 12 to 24 inches apart. Cauliflower varieties prefer well-draining, loose soils with plenty of organic matter. 3. If a soil test has not been taken, make a preplant application of 5-10-10 at the rate of 3 pounds per 100 square feet. Use a starter solution for transplants, and sidedress cautiously after the first leaves reach about the size of a dime using three tablespoons of 33-0-0 per 10 feet of row). Sidedress cautiously until a large number of cauliflower are set. Too much nitrogen before fruit set causes all foliage. After fruit set, fertilize regularly using a complete fertilizer. Soil pH should be between 6.5 and 6.8 for best growth. 4. Purchase certified cauliflower seed from your local garden center or nursery. 5. Cauliflower should be spaced 1/8 to 3/8 inches deep, � inch apart, in rows 12 to 24 inches apart. Select a well-drained, loamy or sandy loam soil for planting. Avoid areas that have had eggplant, tobacco, pepper or Irish potato planted in the previous year. 6. Apply a layer of organic mulch to help maintain soil temperatures and to prevent weeds from growing. 7. Water your cauliflower once or twice a week when the soil feels dry to the touch. Do Not Spray Water On Your Plants. Cauliflower has shallow root systems so they only need a light watering to maintain constant soil moisture. But, a few have lateral roots that can penetrate up to 6.6 feet deep. Water sufficiently to moisten the soil to a depth of at least 6 inches. The critical period for moisture is during leaf development. Mulching can help to provide uniform moisture, conserve water and reduce weeds. 8. Monitor your cauliflower for disease and pest problems. Cauliflower grown by spraying water in Arizona, often suffer from fungal diseases, which can be treated with a fungicide. Control common pests such as snails, potato tubermoth and aphids by sprinkling nontoxic diatomaceous earth around the affected Pepper plants. 9. Cauliflower should be ready for harvest in about 65 to 85 days from seed. Some varieties can take up to 160 days. Reduce disease problems by: �Rotating planting locations. Don't plant peppers, eggplants and related crops in the same garden spot more often than once every three years. �Removing all plant debris from the garden each year. Eliminate any volunteer cauliflower that may occur between crops. Pests Of Cauliflower In Arizona: Insects: Crickets & Beetles, Saltmarsh Caterpillar, Sweetpotato Whitefly, Leafminers, Beet Armyworm, Cabbage Looper, Corn Earworm, Tobacco Budworm, Green Peach Aphid, & Thrips. Apply a Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) based insecticide to control them. Diseases: Diseases may be a problem especially during cool, wet weather. A variety of viruses attack cauliflower and each produces symptoms characteristic of the particular virus species such as leaves mottled with yellow spots, and knotted or forked roots. The main disease of cauliflower is Clubroot, caused by the fungus Plasmodiophora brassicae. Some of the other more common diseases of cauliflower in Arizona include bottom rot caused by Rhizoctonia solani, leaf drop caused by Sclerotinia minor and S. sclerotiorum, downy mildew caused by Bremia lactucae and powdery mildew caused by Erysiphe cichoracearum. Another major disease of cauliflower in Arizona is big vein, which is caused by double-stranded ribonucleic acid that is presumed to be a virus-like agent. Fungicides can be effective management tools for cauliflower diseases caused by fungi. Treat with an approved fungicide. Neem oil, sulfur, and other fungicides can be used. Beneficial Insects Of Cauliflower In Arizona: Not all insects found in our gardens, & orchards are pests. Many organisms benefit the grower by eating or parasitizing pests in the orchard. These organisms are known as beneficials, natural enemies, or biological control agents. They may be native or introduced from other areas. Beneficial natural enemies (insects and mites) that may occur in our gardens, & orchards could be classified as predators or parasitoids. Predators are those that attack, kill, and feed directly on a pest (prey). Examples of common garden, or orchard predators are ladybeetles, flies, lacewings, wasps, bugs, ants, spiders, and predator mites. Parasitoids are insects that lay eggs on or in a pest (host). The developing larva lives and feeds on the host, parasitizing and eventually killing it. Examples include parasitic wasps such as the egg parasite, Trichogramma sp. Bees are a different class of beneficial insects in the garden or orchard in that they benefit the grower by aiding pollination. It is important that growers are able to recognize, identify, and conserve beneficials in their gardens, & orchards. Conservation of beneficial organisms is a basic tenet of an ecologically sound pest management strategy. Conservation or enhancement of beneficials can be achieved through judicious use of pesticides such as spraying only when and where needed, accurate timing of sprays, and selecting pesticides that are least toxic to beneficials. For Example: Many growers now place colonies of the Blue Orchard Mason bees in their orchards to pollinate their crops for maximum production. Quick Notes: Type: The most commonly eaten part of cauliflower are the curds. Height: About 1 � - 2 feet tall during the first year of growth. About 4.9 - 6.6 feet tall during the second year, when flowering. Spread: About � - 2 feet wide. Flowers: May to August. The cauliflower plant must advance beyond the juvenile stage of growth, & have received sufficient chilling to induce flowering. Then a branched inflorescence begins as a compact slightly dome-shaped head up to 40 cm across and loses it compactness as the flower stalk enlarges and the flowers open. At full flower, the bushy plant will be roughly 1 m high and roughly 0.5 m across. The inflorescence is a raceme that elongates rapidly with many small flowers forming at the terminus. The inflorescence produces bisexual cross-shaped flowers with four yellow petals, one pistil, six stamens and a two-celled ovary. The cross-shape of the flower petals is the basis for the name Cruciferae, the archaic name of the family Brassicaceae. Blooming Time: Spring through Fall. They must grow one year to enter the second year, when they bloom. Fruit: The superior ovary of the flowers develop into fruit called a silique that is a long edible pod 4.5-10 cm long and 3-6 mm wide. Siliques typically contain from 20 to 60 seeds. The mature siliques often dehisce as the pods turn brown at maturity, which occurs 50-90 days after fertilization. Seed: The seeds ripen from July to September. Upon dehiscence, the siliques separate into two halves releasing seeds that vary in color from the dark to purplish brown. A well-pollinated cauliflower plant may produce one-half pound of seed. There are approximately 300 seeds in a gram. They are brown or black that are small and round in shape. Leaves: Cabbage seedlings have a thin taproot and cordate (heart-shaped) cotyledons. The first leaves produced are ovate (egg-shaped) with a lobed petiole. Most cabbages have thick, alternating leaves, with margins that range from wavy or lobed to highly dissected; some varieties have a waxy bloom on the leaves. Blue-green to dark-green in color. The initial leaves form a rosette shape comprising 7 to 15 leaves, each measuring 10 � 14 inches by 8 � 12 inches; after this, leaves with shorter petioles develop and heads form through the leaves cupping inward. Many shapes, colors and leaf textures are found in various cultivated varieties of cabbage. Leaf types are generally divided between crinkled-leaf, loose-head savoys, and smooth-leaf firm-head cabbages; while the color spectrum includes white, and a range of greens, and purples. Oblate, round, and pointed shapes are also found Elevation: 0 - 5,500 feet. Some can grow up to 10,000 feet, but you need to time planting with frosts. Hardiness: USDA Zone 3a: to -39.9 �C (-40 �F) USDA Zone 3b: to -37.2 �C (-35 �F) USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 �C (-30 �F) USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6 �C (-25 �F) USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 �C (-20 �F) USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 �C (-15 �F) USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 �C (-10 �F) USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 �C (-5 �F) USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 �C (0 �F) USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 �C (5 �F) USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 �C (10 �F) USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 �C (15 �F) USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 �C (20 �F) Soil pH requirements: Ideal Is 6.5 and 6.8. The yield is low at pH below 5 or above 7. 5.6 to 6.0 (acidic) 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline) Light: Full Sun to Partial Shade. Habitat: Mulched areas. Well-drained soil with a 6.5 and 6.8 pH. Native: Cauliflower, & Cabbage are difficult to trace to their exact origins owing to the many varieties of leafy greens classified as "brassicas." So no-one really knows it's origin. It is said by some to be from Asia Minor, or to the coastal cliffs of the northern Mediterranean and western Europe Miscellaneous:

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