Ornamental Kale

Ornamental kale is a cool-season form of Brassica oleracea grown for its colorful, tightly arranged leaves. The foliage forms a rosette, with shades that can include white, pink, purple, red, blue, and green; color becomes stronger as temperatures cool. ## Foliage and seasonal use The showy center is foliage rather than a flower head. Individual cultivars vary in leaf shape, color, and size; typical ornamental plants are about 1–2 feet tall and wide. Use the plant as a cool-weather accent in fall and winter beds, massed along an edge, or grouped in containers where the colored crown is easy to see. [University of Wisconsin Extension](https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/ornamental-cabbage-and-kale-brassica-oleracea/) and [UF/IFAS Extension](https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FP072) describe the rosette habit, color response to cold, typical size, and seasonal landscape uses. ## Siting Plant as temperatures cool in a sunny location with moderately moist, fertile, well-drained soil. Ornamental kale is usually grown as a seasonal annual even though the species is biennial. It performs best in cool weather; spring warmth may cause it to bolt or lose its compact appearance. ## Maintenance Keep the root zone evenly moist while the plant is actively growing, and remove leaves that decline. Replace the seasonal display when heat causes bolting or the rosette loses its color. Watch for cabbageworms, cutworms, aphids, and slugs, especially during mild weather.