Food Plants International

231
Names
English: Cauliflower Scientific name: Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.
Tok pisin: Synonyms:
Tok ples: Plant family: Brassicaceae
Description: A herb. It is a cabbage family plant
which develops a thick white edible flower in the
centre. It has broad leaves around a thick stalk. The
leaves clasp the stem. The leaves are oval and fleshy.
The flowers are yellow.
Distribution: It mostly grows in the highlands in the
tropics but has been grown from sea level to 2600 m
altitude. It is frost resistant. In Nepal it grows up to
1800 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 8-11.
Cultivation: They are normally grown from seeds and
transplanted. Because plants cross pollinate and seed
production requires low temperatures seed collecting is
neither easy nor very successful.
Production:
Use: The thick white flower is cooked and eaten.
The leaves are edible.
Food Value: Per 100 g edible portion
Edible Moisture Energy Protein Calcium Iron proVit A proVit C Zinc
part % KJ g mg mg µg mg mg
Flower
Leaves
90.7 96 3.0 0.3 2 44.3 0.2
Insects:
Plutella xylostella L. Plutellidae (LEP) Diamond back moth
and probably others similar to cabbage.
Diseases:
Black leaf spot Fungus Alternaria brassicicola (Schw.)Wilt.
Leaf spot Fungus Mycosphaerella brassicicola
Black rot Bacteria Xanthomonas campestris (Pamm.) Dows.
Pests:
Importance: In Papua New Guinea, mainly only grown by a few people for sale to Europeans.