Plants That Look Like Cabbage

If you want the dramatic, sculptural look of a cabbage in your garden without growing vegetables, you’re in luck. Several ornamental plants feature the bold, rounded form and textured leaves we associate with cabbages, and they are perfect for adding winter interest and vibrant color. This guide covers the best plants that look like cabbage, helping you choose the right ones for your landscape.

These plants, often called ornamental cabbages and kales, are bred for their beauty rather than their taste. They thrive in cool weather and can survive frost, making them exceptional choices for fall and winter containers, borders, and beds. Their rosette shapes come in stunning shades of pink, purple, white, and green.

The most common plants with a cabbage-like appearance belong to the Brassica oleracea species, the same as your grocery store cabbage and kale. However, gardeners use them purely for decoration. Their striking looks come from their tightly packed, ruffled leaves that form a perfect rosette.

These ornamentals are technically biennials, meaning they complete their life cycle over two years. We grow them as annuals for their fantastic foliage display in their first year. When summer flowers fade, these plants take center stage, offering visual interest often through snow.

Ornamental Cabbage (Brassica Oleracea Var. Acephala)

Ornamental cabbage is known for its smooth, broad leaves that form a tight, rounded head. The center of the plant, called the rosette, typically displays a vibrant color that contrasts with the outer green leaves. This color intensifies as temperatures drop.

Key Features: Smooth leaves, dense head formation, strong central color (often white, pink, or red).
Growth Habit: Forms a neat, ground-hugging rosette.
Best Uses: Formal garden edging, focal points in containers, mass plantings for color blocking.

Ornamental Kale (Brassica Oleracea Var. Acephala)

Ornamental kale is often grouped with cabbage but has distinct, deeply fringed or feathered leaves. It doesn’t form a tight head; instead, it creates a looser, more textured rosette that can resemble a giant, colorful flower.

Key Features: Frilly, serrated, or lace-like leaves, looser growth habit.
Growth Habit: More open and spreading than ornamental cabbage.
Best Uses: Adding texture to flower beds, filling large container spaces, companion planting with pansies and violas.

Popular Cultivars To Consider

There are many excellent varieties available. Here are a few standout series:

‘Peacock’ Series: Known for finely cut, feathery leaves on long stems. They are more heat-tolerant than some others.
‘Nagoya’ Series: Offers very frilly leaves with brilliant, deeply saturated colors in the center. It is exceptionally cold-hardy.
‘Pigeon’ Series: Features a very uniform, compact shape with smooth red or white centers, looking most like a traditional cabbage.

How To Grow Ornamental Cabbages And Kales

Success with these plants is easy if you follow a few simple steps. They prefer cool conditions and will not perform well in summer heat.

Planting and Site Selection

Choose a location that receives full sun to partial shade. At least 6 hours of sunlight is ideal for the best color development. The soil should be well-draining but rich in organic matter.

Prepare the soil by mixing in several inches of compost or aged manure.
Plant seedlings in early fall, about 6 to 8 weeks before your first expected hard frost. This gives them time to establish and color up.
Space plants 12 to 18 inches apart, depending on the mature size of the variety.
Plant them at the same depth they were in their nursery pot.

Watering and Fertilizing

Keep the soil consistently moist but never soggy. Water at the base of the plant to avoid wetting the foliage, which can lead to disease. A layer of mulch helps retain soil moisture and regulate temperature.

Since you are growing them for foliage, a balanced, slow-release fertilizer applied at planting time is usually sufficient. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers later in the season, as they can dilute leaf color and make growth too soft.

Common Pests and Problems

Like their vegetable cousins, ornamental cabbages can attract pests. Cabbage worms, aphids, and slugs are the most common issues.

Cabbage Worms: Look for holes in leaves and green caterpillars. Handpick them or use an organic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray.
Aphids: A strong spray of water from a hose can dislodge them. Insecticidal soap is also effective.
Slugs and Snails: Use beer traps, diatomaceous earth, or iron phosphate bait around your plants.

Other Plants With Cabbage-Like Foliage

Beyond the Brassicas, several other perennials and succulents share the architectural, rosette form that mimics a cabbage’s shape. These offer alternative looks and growing requirements for different garden styles.

Dusty Miller (Jacobaea Maritima)

While not forming a perfect head, Dusty Miller’s intensely lobed, silver-white foliage provides a stunning contrast that pairs beautifully with ornamental cabbages. Its soft, felt-like leaves are highly drought-tolerant.

Certain Ornamental Grasses

Some low-growing, clump-forming grasses like Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca) create tight, rounded mounds that echo the cabbage’s form. Their fine texture and blue-gray color offer a different take on the rosette shape.

Echeveria Succulents

For a miniature, drought-tolerant version, many Echeveria species form perfect, symmetrical rosettes of fleshy leaves. They look like tiny, pastel-colored cabbages and are ideal for containers, rock gardens, or warm climates.

Echeveria ‘Perle von Nurnberg’: A popular hybrid with pinkish-purple leaves.
Echeveria ‘Lola’: Features a tight rosette of lavender-tinged leaves.

Bergenia (Elephant’s Ears)

Bergenia forms large, glossy, evergreen leaves in a basal clump. While the leaves are broader, the overall clumping habit provides a substantial, bold foliage presence similar to a loose-headed cabbage, especially in winter.

Design Ideas For Your Garden

These plants are incredibly versatile in landscape design. Their structure and cool-season color make them invaluable for bridging the gap between fall and spring.

Seasonal Container Displays

Create stunning fall and winter pots by using ornamental cabbage or kale as the “thriller” in the center. Surround them with “fillers” like trailing ivy, heuchera, or pansies. The cabbages bold form anchors the entire arrangement.

Colorful Garden Borders and Edging

Plant a single variety in a long row along a pathway or garden border for a dramatic, formal effect. The uniform shape and intense color create a clean, modern line that defines garden spaces beautifully.

Mixed Bed Focal Points

Use one or three large ornamental kale plants as a focal point in a dormant perennial bed. Their vibrant color draws the eye and provides interest when other plants have died back for the season.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Ornamental Cabbage and Kale Edible?

Technically, yes, they are not poisonous. However, they are bred for looks, not flavor. Their leaves are typically much more bitter and tougher than culinary varieties. It’s best to enjoy them for their visual appeal and grow specific varieties for eating.

How Long Do These Plants Last?

When planted in the fall, ornamental cabbages and kales will maintain their peak appearance through winter until temperatures rise consistently in late spring. At that point, they will bolt (send up a flower stalk) and decline. In most regions, they provide 5-7 months of color.

Can You Grow Them From Seed?

Absolutely. Start seeds indoors about 6-8 weeks before your fall planting date. Sow them shallowly, as they need light to germinate. Keep the soil cool (around 65-70°F) for best results. Transplant the seedlings outdoors after they develop several true leaves.

What Causes Poor Color Development?

Two main factors lead to weak color: heat and nutrient imbalance. These plants need cool temperatures, especially at night, to develop their signature pinks and purples. Also, too much nitrogen fertilizer can keep leaves green instead of allowing the other pigments to show through.

Do They Come Back Every Year?

No, they are grown as annuals. They are biennials, so if you let them survive the winter, they will flower and set seed in their second year before dying. Most gardeners replant new seedlings each fall for the best ornamental display.

Caring For Plants Through Winter

Ornamental cabbages and kales are remarkably cold-hardy. They can survive temperatures down to about 5°F, and frost actually improves their color. In regions with harsh winters and heavy snow, some protection may be needed.

Ensure plants are well-watered before the ground freezes. Hydrated plants handle cold better.
Apply a thick layer of mulch around the base after the soil is cold to insulate the roots and prevent heaving.
For container plants, consider moving pots to a sheltered location, like against a south-facing wall, to protect them from harsh winds.

With their incredible durability and stunning looks, it’s no wonder these plants have become a staple for cool-season gardening. They offer a reliable way to keep your garden lively and colorful during the quieter months of the year. By selecting the right varieties and providing basic care, you can enjoy their cabbage-like beauty from autumn until spring arrives again.