Walk into a garden center in early autumn and you'll find ruffled rosettes of plum, rose and cream stacked beside the pansies. Walk into a farmers' market and you'll find red cabbages and bundles of dark kale. It's one species, Brassica oleracea, doing two very different jobs.
The interesting part is the overlap. Cabbage and kale can be some of the best-looking plants in a vegetable garden, and a few of them eat well too. Pinterest's own 2026 trend report named cabbage a rising food trend, citing a 110% jump in searches for cabbage dumplings. That's recipe interest, not planting data, but it's a good prompt to give cabbage and kale a real place in the kitchen garden instead of treating them as filler.
This guide sorts out what's decorative, what's delicious, what's both, and how to design with all three.
What to know before you buy a single plant
- Ornamental cabbage and kale are edible, but extension horticulturists describe them as more bitter than vegetable types, and the bright colors fade to a dull gray when cooked.
- For plants that look good and eat well, choose colorful edible varieties such as 'Redbor' kale, 'Red Russian' kale, Lacinato (Tuscan) kale or a red cabbage.
- Color is triggered by cool weather. Pigments begin to develop once temperatures drop below about 50°F (10°C).
- Heading cabbage is slower: expect roughly 60 to 100 days to maturity, so timing matters far more than it does for ornamentals.
- Caterpillars are the main pest. Cover plants with row cover before moths lay eggs.
Ornamental vs. edible: how the types differ
Here's the part that surprises people. Botanically, ornamental cabbage and ornamental kale are both kales: they grow a tight rosette of leaves rather than a firm head. The split between the two names is a trade convention. Types with deeply cut, frilly or ruffled leaves are sold as ornamental kale, and types with broad, flat leaves edged in a contrasting color are sold as ornamental cabbage.
Heading cabbage is the one that forms a dense head. That head is what you cook, ferment or shred into slaw, and it takes longer to grow than a bedding rosette.
| Type | What it looks like | Eating quality | Best job in your garden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ornamental kale | Frilly or ruffled leaves in a tight rosette, often with a pink, white or purple center | Edible but usually bitter; often used as a garnish | Fall color in beds and containers |
| Ornamental cabbage | Broad, smooth leaves edged in a contrasting color | Edible but usually bitter | Bold focal points, mass plantings, containers |
| Colorful edible kale ('Redbor', 'Red Russian', Lacinato) | Deep maroon frills, red-veined lobed leaves, or blue-gray puckered straps | Bred for the kitchen and good to eat | Edible borders and raised-bed edges |
| Heading cabbage (red, savoy, green) | Firm head wrapped in waxy, blue-green outer leaves | The real thing: roughly 60 to 100 days from planting | Main-crop kitchen harvest, and a handsome plant in its own right |
Can you eat ornamental cabbage?
Yes, with realistic expectations. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension makes the point that these plants have been selected for color and shape rather than flavor. The University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension notes they tend to be more bitter than the edible cultivars, and that their pretty colors turn an unappetizing gray when cooked. Mississippi State Extension says much the same: prolonged cooking fades the color. Ornamental kale shows up on restaurant plates as a garnish, much like parsley.
Bedding plants are grown to be looked at, and it isn't always clear what they were treated with. This is our editorial caution rather than an extension finding: if you plan to eat any of it, ask the nursery or buy plants sold as vegetables, or grow your own from seed. If you can't find out, treat it as decoration.
The practical answer is to stop asking which one to grow. Use ornamental types where color is the whole point, and put colorful edible varieties wherever you'd also like a harvest.
Best varieties for a pretty, productive garden
These are the names worth looking for. Hardiness ratings and heights below come from the sources noted, so check the label on whatever you buy.
'Redbor' kale
A vigorous hybrid with ruffled, deep maroon leaves (Clemson Extension). Mississippi State Extension reports the color deepens through the winter months, and NC State shows it paired with yellow violas for contrast.
'Red Russian' kale
Broad, lobed leaves with red veins and stalks. Clemson notes it isn't a true kale (it's Brassica napus), but it's grown and used like one. NC State calls it a delicious heirloom with jagged blue-green leaves and rosy-purple midribs.
Lacinato / Tuscan kale
Blue-gray, strap-like, puckered leaves (Clemson). Upright and architectural, so it makes a strong backdrop. One North Carolina extension agent found it the least hardy of the kales they grow, so give it shelter in colder areas.
'Rainbow Candy Crush'
The RHS describes a hardy, ornamental and edible kale with frilled dark green outer leaves and bright pink growth in the center, harvested September to December. RHS hardiness rating H4.
Red cabbage, e.g. 'Rodeo'
The RHS lists 'Rodeo' as an early red cabbage with medium heads and blue-green outer leaves, ready from summer to early winter. Utah State Extension also lists most red cabbages as resistant to cabbage looper.
Osaka, Nagoya, Chidori, Peacock
Series names you'll see on garden-center tags. The Osaka series is described by Wisconsin Extension as very fast-growing and compact, with a pink, red or white center. Choose these when color is the only goal.
6 ways to design with cabbage and kale
The mistake that makes these plants look dull is planting them in a straight line like little soldiers. A perennial specialist at Behnke Nurseries makes that point directly: like bulbs, they look better massed or mixed than lined up. These six ideas avoid the row.
Edge a raised bed with 'Redbor'
A raised bed with a dark, frilly kale border looks designed even when the middle is a mix of ordinary crops. The deep maroon also makes lettuce, chard and herbs look brighter beside it. If you're still choosing beds, our guide to elevated metal raised beds for small yards and patios covers the options.
Build a center-and-pansy container
This is the classic, and extension offices keep recommending it for a reason: one large ornamental kale or cabbage in the center, pansies around the edge. Florida's FAMU Extension suggests pairing purple kale with yellow pansies, or white cabbage with deep blue violas. Snapdragons also work as a taller supporting plant. If your fall containers also need color, garden mums sit nicely alongside.
Large Deep Planter Pot with Drainage Holes (18–24 inch)
A center-and-pansy display needs room for roots and, just as important, drainage. Mississippi State Extension notes that cabbage and kale don't like wet feet, so poor drainage is a common reason potted plants sulk. Look for a wide, deep pot with real drainage holes; the RHS also recommends large, deep containers for cabbages.
View on Amazon →Plant a red-and-green cabbage checkerboard
If you have a small square bed, alternate red cabbage and a green or savoy type on a grid. The pattern looks deliberate, the colors stay interesting as heads form, and spacing does double duty because it also controls head size. Maryland Extension notes that close spacing (about 12 inches) produces small heads. For more layout inspiration, see our 30 vegetable garden layout ideas.
Use Lacinato as the backbone behind violas
Upright, blue-gray Lacinato gives a flat bed some height, and Clemson Extension specifically recommends combining its color and texture with yellow or blue pansies. Put it at the back of a border where its strap-like leaves can read as a texture contrast, with low violas at its feet.
Go dark with an edible moody border
'Redbor', 'Red Russian' and deep-colored violas together make a restrained, dramatic autumn planting you can actually pick from. It suits the look in our moody Gothic garden ideas guide, with a harvest as a bonus.
Give one compact cabbage a big pot
You don't need a garden for cabbage. The RHS says to choose a compact variety, plant deeply and use a large, deep container. One red cabbage in a handsome pot on a patio is both a design statement and a small harvest. For more small-space ideas, try vertical and stackable planters.
Planning your own cabbage and kale beds? The Vegetable Garden Master System has a frost-date worksheet, 12 ready-made bed layouts and one-page guides for 25 crops, in a 149-page printable planner.
See the planner →When to plant (US and UK)
Timing is where ornamental and edible types diverge most. Ornamentals are planted to look good in the cool season and are bought nearly full-grown. Heading cabbage is a crop with a clock.
| Plant type | Timing and temperature cues | Source basis |
|---|---|---|
| Ornamental kale and cabbage | Plant transplants as the weather cools in fall, in full sun. They don't tolerate summer heat. Color develops below about 50°F (10°C); once settled in, plants can survive temperatures down to about 5°F (-15°C). | NC State Extension, University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension, UC ANR |
| Ornamentals from seed | A long game. Grower guidance from Johnny's Selected Seeds says to sow around three months before the expected fall frost, and to expect color after about two weeks of temperatures below 50°F. | Johnny's Selected Seeds production guide |
| Heading cabbage (US) | Roughly 60 to 100 days to mature. A July planting forms heads as summer turns to fall and can be ready before a hard freeze in cold regions. For spring crops, start seed indoors. Seedlings are frost-sensitive but mature plants tolerate below-freezing temperatures. | University of Minnesota Extension, University of Maryland Extension |
| Cabbage (UK) | Sow outdoors from late winter to late summer depending on the type. Plants sown indoors move outside after about five weeks. Sow in small batches to avoid a glut. | RHS |
If you're reading this in October, it's a good moment to buy ornamental transplants. For heading cabbage, check your first fall frost date first: in mild-winter areas young plants can still go in, but in cold-winter areas it's likely too late for a head, so plan it for next season. That's our judgment from the maturity times above, so adjust for your local conditions.
University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension advises buying large, compact plants that are nearly or fully colored. Purchased ornamentals typically don't grow much more after planting, so buy the size you want to see.
If a sudden cold snap catches you with plants in the ground, our guide to protecting your garden from the first frost covers row covers and timing.
Planting and care essentials
Water and feeding
Cabbage family plants like steady moisture. Mississippi State Extension also describes ornamental cabbage and kale as fairly heavy feeders. For heading cabbage, Maryland Extension suggests a starter fertilizer at transplanting and a side-dressing about three weeks later. Ornamentals are the exception: Johnny's growing guide recommends stopping fertilizer once cool nights arrive and color begins, because continued feeding can delay color change.
Protect the center and weed gently
University of Minnesota Extension warns that damage to the central growing point when a cabbage is young can stop it forming a head. Cabbage roots are shallow, too; Maryland Extension advises slicing weeds at ground level with a sharp hoe rather than digging near the plants.
UK note: acid soil and clubroot
If your soil is acidic, the RHS suggests liming to bring the pH above 6, which helps deter clubroot. It also recommends firming the soil before planting, so don't over-fluff the bed.
Before You Plant
- Decide the job: ornamental color, kitchen harvest, or both
- Check your first fall frost date and your plant's days to maturity
- Choose a sunny spot with good drainage
- Pick large, compact transplants that are already coloring
- Plan row cover for any cabbage or kale you intend to eat
- Avoid planting brassicas in the same soil year after year
Caterpillars and other pests
Cabbage loopers, imported cabbageworms and diamondback moth larvae are the usual culprits. Utah State Extension describes how loopers chew ragged holes in leaves and can bore into heads, and notes they are difficult to manage once they are inside a head-forming plant. Ornamentals planted late in the season tend to have fewer problems, as Wisconsin Extension points out, but a kale you want to eat deserves protection.
Step 1: Exclude the moths
Utah State Extension recommends floating row cover, applied before the pests arrive so adult moths can't lay eggs on the plants. The edges need to be buried or pinned securely. It's practical for home gardens and small beds, which is exactly where most of us grow cabbage.
Garden Row Cover Plant Protection Kit (Fabric + Support Hoops)
A kit that includes hoops is the easier choice for a raised bed, since the fabric stays off the foliage. Pick fabric wide enough to bury or pin down on every side, because gaps and holes are where moths get in. Check that the product is sold for insect exclusion rather than only frost protection.
View on Amazon →Step 2: Treat young caterpillars
If caterpillars already got in, Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Bt) is the standard organic option. Utah State Extension says it must be applied while larvae are young, under about 12 mm long, and that thorough coverage matters because the caterpillars have to eat it. University of Illinois Extension notes Bt targets caterpillars and spares other beneficial insects, but the University of Saskatchewan reminds gardeners that it also affects butterfly caterpillars, so keep it off plants where you want them.
Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki) Caterpillar Control
Look for a product with Bt kurstaki as the active ingredient and a label that lists leafy vegetables or brassicas. Always follow the label for timing and re-application, since Bt breaks down quickly outdoors.
View on Amazon →Other pests to expect
- Aphids on foliage, flagged by FAMU Extension for ornamental kale and cabbage.
- Cabbage root fly in the UK, deterred with a felt collar around the base of each plant (RHS).
- Slugs and snails, which the RHS lists as a risk for both kale and cabbage.
Variety choice helps too. Utah State Extension lists 'Savoy Chieftain' and most red cabbage varieties as resistant to cabbage looper.
Harvesting and using your crop
Heading cabbage is ready when the heads feel firm; size varies with variety, fertility and spacing, per Maryland Extension. University of Minnesota Extension warns that heavy rain close to harvest can split heads, so don't leave mature heads sitting. Cabbage to be cooked keeps in the refrigerator for about two weeks, according to Maryland Extension, and fermentation, including kimchi, is a traditional way to preserve a big harvest.
Edible kale is picked leaf by leaf. A North Carolina extension agent notes that frost increases the sugar content of kale leaves, which makes them sweeter. The RHS lists 'Rainbow Candy Crush' as harvestable from September to December.
Ornamental types work best as garnish or a decorative plate liner, with the cooking-color caveat above. If you only want one thing from a mixed planting, harvest the culinary varieties and leave the ornamentals to do their job.
'Redbor' Kale Seeds (Brassica oleracea)
If you want to grow your own edible-ornamental kale instead of hunting for transplants, seed is the cheapest route. Look for a seller that clearly names the 'Redbor' variety and states a packing date, and plan sowing around your fall frost date so plants have time to color.
View on Amazon →What happens at the end of the season
Ornamental cabbage and kale are technically biennial, meaning they flower in their second year, but gardeners generally treat them as annuals. As spring warms they send up tall flower stalks and fade, and most people compost them and replant with warm-season annuals. Edible kale does the same, and the RHS notes that all parts of kale are edible when young, including the flowers if you let a plant bolt.
Common mistakes
- Planting too early in warm weather. The plants sulk in heat, and the color won't show until nights cool.
- Buying small, green transplants and expecting a show. Look for large, compact plants that are already coloring.
- Feeding right through the color change. Johnny's growing guide says continued fertilizer delays color development.
- Spacing heading cabbage too tightly. You'll get small heads and poor airflow.
- Skipping row cover on anything you plan to eat. Caterpillars are hard to deal with once they're inside a head.
- Eating bedding plants without checking. Buy edible-labelled plants or grow from seed if the harvest matters.
- Planting in straight lines. Mass them, mix them or put them in containers.
The short takeaway
Treat cabbage and kale as a design material, not just a crop. Use ornamental types for pure color, colorful edible varieties like 'Redbor', 'Red Russian' and Lacinato where you want both beauty and a harvest, and red or savoy cabbage when you want a head for the kitchen. Plant when it cools, protect the edible ones from caterpillars before they arrive, and don't feed ornamentals once the color starts.
Turn these ideas into a plan for your own beds
Knowing what looks good is half the job. Fitting it to your own beds, frost dates and spacing is the rest. The Vegetable Garden Master System puts the whole season on paper.
- 12 ready-made bed layouts to copy or adapt
- A frost-date worksheet and planting calendars
- One-page guides for 25 crops: spacing, depth, days to maturity
149-page printable PDF, instant download. Crop guides cover 25 vegetables; kale, garlic and herbs are not in this edition.
| Product | Best for | Why it fits | Key feature | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large deep planter pot | Container displays | Gives roots room and drainage for the center-and-pansy idea | 18–24 in., drainage holes | View on Amazon |
| Row cover kit with hoops | Caterpillar prevention | Stops moths laying eggs before damage starts | Insect-barrier fabric plus hoops | View on Amazon |
| Bt kurstaki caterpillar control | Young caterpillars | Targets caterpillars on edible brassicas | Bt kurstaki; label lists vegetables | View on Amazon |
| 'Redbor' kale seeds | Growing your own edible-ornamental kale | Cheapest way to get the variety | Named variety; packing date | View on Amazon |
Sources used for this article
University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension (ornamental cabbage and kale); NC State Extension (ornamental cabbage and kale; Plants Toolbox; Pender County extension notes); FAMU Extension; Texas A&M AgriLife Extension via KLTV; Mississippi State Extension; Clemson HGIC (kale varieties); UC ANR (ornamental kale); University of Maryland Extension and University of Minnesota Extension (growing cabbage); Iowa State Extension (cabbage planting); Utah State University Extension (cabbage loopers, caterpillar pests); University of Illinois Extension; University of Saskatchewan; RHS (cabbage growing guide and plant profiles); Johnny's Selected Seeds (ornamental kale production); Behnke Nurseries (ornamental kale and cabbage); Pinterest Predicts 2026 as reported by PPC Land and Net Influencer. Pinterest's cabbage figures refer to recipe searches, not gardening searches.
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