Cabbage
Brassica oleracea var. capitata
Also called Savoy and Red cabbage
Garden plant · Herbs, veg & fruitNet it or the cabbage whites will. By the time you see the caterpillars the head is already lace.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Medium
- Water
- Every 3 daysWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Full sun
- Feed
- Every 21 days
- Humidity
- Average
- Hardiness
- Very hardy RHS H7, to -25°C
- Size
- 0.3 m tall · 0.3 m across
- Lifecycle
- Biennial
- Origin
- Eastern Mediterranean
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsToxic to pets
Affects horses. Signs: stomach and gut irritation, with belly pain (colic).
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA, Johnny's Selected Seeds and Clemson HGIC on 2026-07-31.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- A raft of yellow ribbed eggs on the underside of an outer leaf in midsummer — the head is stripped to the ribs within a fortnight of them hatching.Cabbage caterpillars · pest
- A newly planted seedling wilting in the midday sun and lifting out of the ground at a light pull, with no root left to hold it.Cabbage root fly · pest
- Plants in one part of the bed stunted and yellowing while the rest stand well, flagging in warm weather however wet the soil is.Club root · disease