Which color is cauliflower? White.
And . . .
Cauliflower can also be orange, like the variety called ‘Cheddar’.
‘Cheddar’ is said to get its color from having extra beta-carotene, the same thing that makes carrots orange.
And you can grow cauliflower that is green. One such variety I’m growing this winter is called ‘Vitaverde’.
And a fractal twist on this is the Romanesco cauliflower, which not only has the green color but also a mesmerizing pattern to its florets.
How about purple cauliflower? I just started harvesting from a row of ‘Graffiti’ cauliflower plants whose heads are a glowing hue of purple, which is said to come from high levels of anthocyanin.
Where to buy colorful cauliflower plants and seeds
My row of ‘Graffiti’ purple cauliflower plants came from a six-pack of seedlings bought at a local nursery. You can often find seedlings of colorful cauliflowers at good nurseries. But availability is more reliable if you grow from seed, and here are some companies I’ve purchased specific varieties of colorful cauliflower seeds from:
- ‘Graffiti’ purple cauliflower seeds from Territorial
- ‘Vitaverde’ green cauliflower seeds from Johnny’s
- ‘Veronica’ green Romanesco cauliflower seeds from Territorial
- ‘Cheddar’ orange cauliflower seeds from Johnny’s
What I haven’t done but would like to try in the future is time the sowings and plantings of a group of colorful cauliflowers in order to be able to harvest heads of multiple colors at the same time, and then serve a rainbow of florets to some visitors.
Until then . . . we’re happy to wake up early and harvest purples and greens at the same time, in our pajamas.
How to grow colorful cauliflowers? Check out my post, “Growing broccoli and cauliflower in Southern California.”
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