Cabbage

Cabbage

Cabbage is cultivated for its large leafy head. Flowers are formed on a terminal raceme (growth axis) and have four sepals (outer leaves) in the form of a cross. Cabbage roots are mostly in the upper 12 inches of the soil.

Most cabbage is green, but there are also varieties withredor purple foliage. The heads are more or less compact, depending on the variety, and range in shape from roundish to oval to flattened spheres. The heads consist of numerous thick, overlapping smooth leaves.

Check for following while buying:

Cabbage heads should be firm or hard and heavey for their size Outer leaves should be a good green or red color (depending on type), reasonably fresh, and free from serious blemishes. The outer leaves (called"wrapper" leaves) fit loosely on the head and are usually discarded, but too many loose wrapper leaves on a head cause extra waste.

"Some early-crop cabbage may be soft or only fairly firm--but is suitable for immediate use if the leaves are fresh and crisp. Cabbage out of storage is usually trimmed of all outer leaves and lacks green color, but is satisfactory if not wilted or discolored.