How to Grow Ornamental Flowering Kale Plants

Annual, Brassica Olercea

Flowering Kale is an ornamental plant, grown for its colorful leaves. In the Fall, when other flowers are dying off, Kale gives off a generous splash of color. The cool weather Flowering Kale plant, grows better in cool, and even cold weather.

Native to Europe, the plants grow a mounded rosette of deeply lobed, outer leaves in a range of green hues. The colorful center leaves include in pink, white, purple and reds.

These biennials form a head in the first year. In the second year, they produce flowers and seeds.

Flowering Kale is an edible landscape. When you are done admiring their colorful display, you can eat the leaves in salads and any recipe where regular vegetable garden Kale is used. See other Edible Flowers

Try growing Flowering Kale in rock gardens, along walking paths, in containers or window boxes.

Plant Height: 12" - 18"

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Plant Propagation:

Flowering Kale is grown from seed. Plants are grown from seeds. Directly sow seeds into your flower garden.

You can also start seeds indoors, 4 - 6 weeks prior to transplanting.

Seeds are quick sprouting.

Days to Germination: 5 - 10

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How to Grow Flowering Kale Plants:

Grow Flowering Kale plants in full sun. They will tolerate partial shade.

Grow in rich, well drained soil.

This cool weather flower, prefers cool soil and air temperatures 50 to 60 degrees, or lower. After the first frost, it will continue growing.

Keep soil moist, not wet. Water as needed, especially during dry weather.

Fertilize plants once a month, with a fertilizer high in nitrogen. Liquid fertilizers work best for fast growth.

Mulch around pants for a neat and tidy appearance, and to help keep the soil cool.

If you eat the leaves, they are bitter in warm or hot weather,. They will turn sweeter after the first frost.

 Flowers Bloom: Summer through Winter..

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Insect and Disease:

Cabbage Loopers are a common problem. Pick by hand. Cabbage worms and root maggots can also be a problem. If you are not going to eat the Kale, use insecticides, as needed.

Disease problems are infrequent.

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