Brassica oleracea var. botrytis (cauliflower)

Japanese name: カリフラワー
Scientific name: Brassica oleracea var. botrytis

[Overview]
An annual to perennial.
The leaves are oblong and arranged spirally in a 2/5 phyllotaxy.
White flower buds are borne at the tip of the thickened stem. The flower buds, also called the flower head, bud cluster or curd, consist of one main stem and lateral inflorescences, and the tip is markedly thickened.
The flower buds form after the flower stalk elongates.
The flowers are borne in compound racemes, and there are bracts at the base of the inflorescence.

[History]
Native to the eastern Mediterranean coast, it is said to have differentiated from kale and is thought to have been improved from broccoli.
It was introduced to Italy around 1490 and spread to various parts of Europe in the early 17th century, but at that time it was still not distinguished from broccoli.
Cauliflower as we know it today began to be cultivated in the 19th century.
It is said to have reached America in the early 19th century and Asia in the mid-19th century, and it was introduced to India in 1822.
It was introduced to Japan in the early Meiji era, but did not become popular among the general public at that time.

[Uses]
The firm, tightly packed flower buds are eaten. The parts other than the flower buds are used as livestock feed.

[Cultivation]
It prefers a cool climate. It is sensitive to both dryness and excess moisture, so well-drained soil rich in organic matter is suitable.
After sowing, transplanting is done when 2–3 true leaves have developed.
The development of the flower buds is sensitive to temperature, so the optimum temperature must be confirmed for each variety.
Pests and diseases include virus diseases, clubroot, downy mildew, aphids, diamondback moths and armyworms.

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