Cauliflower Varieties: Purple, green, and white varieties

In addition to the classic, white cauliflower, more and more colored cauliflower varieties are becoming trendy for your own garden. The cultivation conditions are also decisive when choosing a variety.

The numerous varieties of cauliflowers (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) differ mainly in taste, color and harvest time. To with that Cultivation of cauliflower Of course, to get started, you must first select one of the many strains. We will tell you here which types of cauliflower there are and how they differ.

Cauliflower Varieties: How Many Are There?

An exact number cannot be given here. However, centuries of breeding suggest that there are several hundred different types and varieties of cauliflower. In general, a distinction is made between white and colored varieties.

• White cauliflower varieties: These varieties are among the most sold and cultivated varieties in Germany, both in private gardens and in commercial cultivation.
• Colored varieties of cauliflower: Yellow, green and purple cauliflower are due to a higher concentration of vitamins and others Ingredients are nutritionally more valuable than the white variant and they also look quite pretty the end. The coloring of the varieties comes from the sunlight, which causes coloring substances such as carotenoids to form in the cauliflower. If the cauliflower is green, it does not mean that it is not yet ripe. Incidentally, colored varieties have a more intense taste than the classic white cauliflower varieties.

tip: Even white cauliflower does not remain completely white under strong sunlight. So cover these strains to get a Cauliflower sunburn to prevent.

The best varieties of cauliflower for the garden

Cauliflower seeds can be purchased from local gardening stores or ordered online. The selection of the variety is based on the following criteria:

Selection criteria for cauliflower varieties:

• colour
• culture duration
• Suitable cultivation time
• Cold tolerance in early and late varieties
• Vernalization security, i.e. that the cabbage also forms flowers
• resistance to diseases

To give you an insight into the large selection of varieties, we present a few varieties of cauliflower here. The exact information on sowing and harvesting can be found on the seed packet. In the article, we tell you what you need to watch out for later during the harvest Harvesting, freezing and storing cauliflower summarized.

White cauliflower varieties

• alpha: A proven all-purpose variety that is suitable for both early and late cultivation; relatively robust.
• ˈWalcheren Winterˈ: Cauliflower, which is also suitable as a winter cauliflower variety in mild areas, which is only planted in July to August and harvested in April. It tolerates moderate frost, but a protective fleece is advisable in winter.
• ˈErfurt dwarfˈ: Rather an early variety with slightly smaller heads; but has low demands and is therefore well suited for the home garden.
• ˈMulti Headˈ (F1):ˈMulti Headˈ is an exceptional strain that can be harvested multiple times as it develops multiple buds. It is therefore also known as picking cauliflower. Harvesting the main bud also encourages the growth of the secondary buds. The harvest takes place between June and September.
• ˈNeckar Pearlˈ: A specialty for hobby gardeners due to the fine taste and the long harvest period; Mid to late cultivation.
• ˈTabiroˈ: A hardy, self-covering strain for autumn cultivation; mild aromatic taste.
• ˈAutumn Giantsˈ: The name says it all, large, very firm flowers; long harvest period and suitable for late cultivation.

Colorful varieties of cauliflower

• ˈCheddarˈ (F1): yellow cauliflower; newer variety with yellow-orange flowers, particularly rich in beta-carotene.

• ˈDi Sicilia Violettoˈ: Purple-flowered cauliflower whose leaves are gray-green with purple veining. In Italy, the purple cauliflower is particularly popular because of its intense and aromatic taste. It is suitable for late cultivation, harvesting takes place in autumn.
• ˈgraffitiˈ: Violet to lilac variety of cauliflower, suitable for both summer and winter cultivation. Very fragrant; turns green during cooking.
• "Susana" F1: One of the few light green varieties of cauliflower; later high-yielding cauliflower; ideal for autumn cultivation.
• ˈMarches Greenˈ: green cauliflower with a more intense taste; suitable for early to middle cultivation. Even after cooking, the cauliflower stays green.

Another beautiful, green type of cauliflower is known by the name Romanesco. You can find out which varieties are available in our special article Grow Romanesco.