Ornamentals do well in area winter environment
January 18, 2013
By
Charla Borchers Leon, Victoria County Master Gardener
By definition, an ornament is a purely decorative element like that on a tree, on the hood of an automobile and also in architecture, in a grassy area, in a park or simply in a garden or landscape. The lifespan of these ornaments differ from year to year, one season to another, or for the time the object is in good form. Some are used and put away permanently, and others stay around quite a bit longer.
CABBAGE, KALE
There are also certain ornamental plants, specifically cabbage and kale, that are decorative in nature and have noted presence in cool weather landscapes. They are popular late fall plants whose leaves intensify in spread, color and impression as the night temperatures drop. Ornamental cabbage and kale plants make a brilliant display in the winter landscape and are also referred to as flowering cabbage and kale.
Grown for colorful foliage
Both plants flower, but their blooms are insignificant because they are grown for their intensely colorful foliage and their persistence through the cooler, late-season months. The plants are made up of rosettes of leaves sometimes six inches to a foot across and are very showy in white, light green, pinks, purples, red and also in mixed colors.
Distinguishable by leaves
The leaves of flowering cabbage and kale can be smooth or deeply cut. Most start out blue-green and turn white or magenta when kissed by frost.
While they appear similar to one another, the distinguishing feature between the cabbage and kale is their leaves. Cabbage has broader, flat leaves while kale has curly, frilly edges.
COOL SEASON EDIBLES
Both ornamental cabbage and kale belong to the brassica family. Crops from this genus are sometimes called cole crops, the term which is derived from the Latin caulis, meaning steam or cabbage.
This includes other cool season vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, collards and kohlrabi.
Taste not as appealing
Ornamental cabbage and kale are in the same species, brassica oleracea, as edible cabbages and kale. They are the result of hybridizing and have edible leaves, although their taste is not as appealing as that of their cousins while their foliage is more frilly, fancier and considerably more colorful. They are often used as garnish in food presentation.
Cold tolerance
While these two ornamental plants are extremely cold-tolerant, a sudden cold snap can be deadly to them. Some dont survive past January or the first few hard freezes. According to some plant guides, they can survive winter temperatures as low as five degrees if they are gradually acclimatized.
They will color most reliably, however, in mild winter climates where temperatures do not fall below 20 degrees, and in general, brassica plants do not tolerate extended warmer temperatures above 80 degrees. They obviously can do well in the area winter environment with this range of temperatures.
EFFECTIVE PLANTING PATTERNS
These plants prefer rich, organic, evenly moist soil, full to partial sun with plant placement approximately 12-14 inches apart. A general purpose fertilizer, such as granular 10-10-10, or water soluble 20-20-20, is recommended at planting to produce full and powerful rosettes of leaves.
In mass or edging
Ornamental cabbage and kale are most effective when used in mass or in a border pattern. Since they are low growers, they can often be found as edging plants, where their hues complement other winter colors.
Containers or window boxes
If only one or two plants are desired, they look less out of place in containers than they do scattered throughout a garden. They can be used in containers or in window boxes as focal plants and can be better protected from cold snaps by moving the whole container to a warmer spot. Plants in window boxes often take a more severe blow because of their proximity to damaging elements.
Combination plants
These flowering plants also work well in any of these locations in combination with other fall-winter annuals such as pansies, violas, snapdragons, cyclamen, alyssum or lobelia.
Remember to protect these bold and brilliantly colored plants from extremes of sudden deep cold snaps or too much moisture in the winter weeks and months ahead, and they can last into early spring before temperatures push past extended 80-degree marks.
It will then be time for these ornamentals in the landscape to be collected and put away like those from a Christmas tree, but permanently, to make room for spring bedding plants.
Sold as ornamental cabbage and ornamental kale in garden centers.
Also called flowering cabbage and kale.
Ornamental beauty comes from leaves and rosettes, not from flowers.
Do best in a moist, sunny location.
Low growers with lowest leaves best planted flush with soil level.
Vivid colors result from temperatures below 50 degrees; survive down to five degrees.
Safe to eat and use as garnish.
VARIETIES
Ornamental cabbage:
Color-up
Osaka
Pigeon
Tokyo
Ornamental kale:
Chidori
Flamingo Plumes
Frizzy
Peacock
Sparrow