Growing cauliflower, Brassica oleracea var. botrytis comes with many challenges.
But with close attention to temperature, moisture, drainage, and air circulation, there’s every reason to expect success with this cool-weather crop.
Cauliflower can be traced back to fifteenth-century Cyprus, where it began as a mutation of a type of wild cabbage.
Through the centuries, this new-found vegetable began to adapt to the climates of the places in which its seeds were cultivated.
Europe and India are two locations where these “original” cauliflower varieties became a staple food.
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Cauliflower grows in USDA Hardiness Zones 2 to 11 as either a half-hardy biennial or an annual. It’s rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and fiber.
Our guide to growing cauliflower has all you need to grow this cool-weather crop in your vegetable garden.
Today’s cultivars come in shades of white, purple, orange, and green. We’ve selected 19 of the best varieties to grow at home.
Here’s the lineup:
19 of the Best Cauliflower Varieties for the Home Garden
1. Adona
‘Adona’ is a hybrid cauliflower cultivar with five-inch, dense flavorful heads that mature in about 68 days. For a fall planting, allow 80 to 85 days.
This versatile variety has tight leaves that help to self-blanch but the outer leaves can be tied if desired.
‘Adona’
The bright white curds are dense, with a sweet, mild flavor. Plants grow up to 30 inches tall with a spread of about 24 inches.
You can find ‘Adona’ seeds available in a variety of packet sizes from High Mowing Organic Seeds.
2. Bermeo
With rounded, slightly flattened heads, ‘Bermeo’ is heat-tolerant cauliflower hybrid that produces five- to seven-inch white, uniform heads in just 68 days.
The crisp, dense curds are slightly sweet with a nutty flavor. The inner leaves are tight, reducing the need for manual tying for blanching.
‘Bermeo’
Plants grow to about 18 to 24 inches wide and 20 to 24 inches tall.
Seeds are available at High Mowing Organic Seeds in a variety of packet sizes.
3. Cheddar
‘Cheddar’ is an early orange hybrid cauliflower variety that matures in about 60 to 70 days.
It has smooth, uniform, four- to seven-inch heads that contain nutritious beta-carotene and deepen in color when cooked. The flavor is mild and sweet.
‘Cheddar’
This variety may reach a height of 24 inches. No blanching is required to retain its vibrant color.
You can find seeds available at True Leaf Market in packages of 100.
4. Clementine
The bright orange ‘Clementine’ is a hybrid that matures in 55 to 75 days.
With six- to seven-inch, domed heads, this cauliflower features dense, firm curds with a nutty flavor that maintain their vibrancy even after cooking.
‘Clementine’
The vigorous plants grow up to 14 inches tall with a spread of 12 to 18 inches.
If you want to add some color to your cooking, you can find seeds available at Burpee.
5. Depurple
Purple florets on white stems characterize the unique ‘Depurple’ hybrid cauliflower. It matures in approximately 80 to 100 days, and is well worth the wait.
Dense, six- to seven-inch heads contain antioxidant anthocyanins, with flavorful hints of butter and nuts.
Some purple types turn green during cooking, but you may try adding vinegar or lemon juice to help retain the color.
‘Depurple’
Expect a mature height of about 20 inches. No blanching is required to retain color during growth.
‘Depurple’ seeds are available from Burpee in packages of 30 or as a bundle of six plants.
6. Early White
For a robust and fast-growing cauliflower, consider ‘Early White.’ This hybrid may mature in as few as 52 days, and produces tight, pure white heads that measure up to nine inches across.
‘Early White’
This variety exhibits more cold tolerance than average, and may reach 30 inches in height. Firmness and a classic mild cauliflower flavor characterize this winner.
‘Early White’ seeds are available from Burpee.
7. Fioretto 60
Here’s an early type that matures in 33 to 60 days, making ‘Fioretto 60’ a good choice for spring.
This is a “sprouting” cauliflower variety, with five- to six-inch heads made up of loose white florets on long, light green stems. It resembles broccoli rabe.
‘Fioretto 60’
Plants top out at about 18 inches and are highly pest resistant.
The flavor is somewhat nutty, and the texture holds its crunch well, remaining crunchy even after cooking. Blanching is recommended.
‘Fioretto 60’ is available from Burpee. Choose from packets of 50 seeds or a set of six plants.
8. Flamenco
‘Flamenco’ is a cauliflower hybrid that produces bright white, six- to seven-inch heads with a very mild, sweet flavor in about 72 days.
The curds are dense, held in rounded, dome-shaped heads. With outstanding heat tolerance, ‘Flamenco’ is ideal for growing in the south, where the heat can cause problems.
‘Flamenco’
This is a self-blanching cultivar and the plants grow 20 to 30 inches tall with a 24-inch spread.
You can find ‘Flamenco’ seeds available at High Mowing Organic Seeds.
9. Flame Star
Paler than cheddar types, ‘Flame Star’ is an early orange hybrid that matures in approximately 55 to 60 days.
Its heads are firm, with dense, smooth curds and a diameter of about seven inches. This type exhibits better than average heat tolerance and reaches a height of about 14 inches.
‘Flame Star’
Consider this compact type for container gardening and small plots. It has an exceptionally sweet flavor and requires no blanching.
‘Flame Star’ is available from Burpee in packets of 50 seeds, or sets of six plants.
10. Graffiti
‘Graffiti’ has a surprisingly bright purple dome of dense curds that reach about six to seven inches across.
This hybrid cauliflower matures in 70 to 80 days.
It has better than average tolerance of humidity and fungal disease, and tops out at approximately 24 inches.
‘Graffiti’
Antioxidant anthocyanins boost the nutrition of this colorful variety that has a mildly sweet flavor. No blanching is necessary.
‘Graffiti’ seeds are available from True Leaf Market in packages of 10 or 100.
11. Purple of Sicily
‘Purple of Sicily’ is a striking Italian heirloom cauliflower with brilliant purple heads, also referred to as Sicilian purple cauliflower.
It produces seven- to eight-inch heads with a sweet, nutty flavor after 70 to 90 days and does not require blanching.
The color fades with cooking and turns a light green hue, so if you want to enjoy the vibrant purple, you will need to serve it raw!
‘Purple of Sicily’
Plants grow to about 24 inches tall with a 12-inch spread.
Find seeds available in a variety of packet sizes at True Leaf Market.
12. Skywalker
Hybrid ‘Skywalker’ is cold-tolerant and produces six- to seven-inch white heads with dense curds after 75 days.
This cultivar is partially self-blanching but can benefit from having the leaves tied to ensure the pure white color. The plant grows 12 to 18 inches tall and wide.
‘Skywalker’
With a mild flavor, the crisp curds are ideal for serving raw or cooked.
Find seeds available at High Mowing Organic Seeds in a variety of packet sizes.
13. Snowball
This heirloom white cauliflower harks back to the “originals” in Europe.
‘Snowball’ is a self-blanching cultivar that matures in 65 to 75 days. Its leaves protect developing heads that range from approximately six to eight inches across.
‘Snowball’
This traditional variety reaches a height of up to 30 inches and has a mild flavor.
Self-blanching ‘Snowball’ seeds are available from Burpee in packages of 100 or 1000.
14. Snowball Y Improved
An heirloom variety originally developed in France, ‘Snowball Y’ is an improved version of ‘Snowball’ that matures in about 70 to 80 days.
Heads are smooth and compact, with pure white curds that reach a diameter of about six to seven inches.
‘Snowball Y’ Improved
Plants top out at 24 to 30 inches, and abundant leaves generally provide for self-blanching. This type has a pleasantly mild flavor.
‘Snowball Y’ seeds are available from Eden Brothers.
15. Tessaury
‘Tessaury’ is a heat-tolerant cauliflower hybrid that produces creamy white, dense heads after 72 days. The dense florets form six- to seven-inch uniformly round heads.
The flavor is mild, nutty, and sweet, perfect for roasting or eating fresh.
‘Tessaury’
Plants grow to 18 to 24 inches wide and a similar height.
You can find ‘Tessaury’ seeds in a variety of packet sizes at High Mowing Organic Seeds.
16. Twister
Hybrid ‘Twister’ exhibits excellent heat tolerance and matures in just 62 days.
The name comes from the way the leaves twist and spiral around the heads, blanching them to produce bright white curds.
‘Twister’
Heads are four to six inches in diameter and plants grow up to 24 inches tall with a similar spread.
You can find seeds or bundles of six plants available at Burpee.
17. Veronica Romanesco
The ‘Veronica’ Romanesco looks like a cross between cauliflower and broccoli, that matures in about 85 days.
Heads measure approximately seven inches across, and consist of unusually pointy and visually interesting lime green whorls of curds that develop in a fractal pattern.
Plants reach a height of 18 to 24 inches.
Sometimes called “broccoflower,” this unique vegetable has a mildly sweet, savory/nutty flavor.
‘Veronica’ Romanesco
It has been bred for better than average resistance to fungal disease and heat, and blanching is not required.
‘Veronica’ Romanesco seeds are available from True Leaf Market in packages of 100 or 1,000.
Read more about growing Romanesco here.
18. Violet Queen
‘Violet Queen’ produces striking light purple heads up to eight inches wide after about 85 days.
The curds are dense and lose their color when cooked, but the sweet, nutty flavor is ideal for eating raw.
Plants grow up to 18 inches tall with a 24-inch spread. They prefer cool conditions and do not tolerate heat.
‘Violet Queen’
This cultivar is an RHS Award of Garden Merit winner.
Pick up ‘Violet Queen’ seeds from True Leaf Market in a variety of packet sizes.
19. White Corona
If you’re looking for a fast-growing traditional white cauliflower for a container or small plot, this one’s for you. ‘White Corona’ is a hybrid that matures in 30 to 33 days.
Its bright white heads measure three to five inches across at maturity.
‘White Corona’
Plants top out at a compact 12 to 14 inches and may tolerate a light frost. Blanching may be required.
‘White Corona’ is available from Burpee in packages of 100 seeds or sets of six plants.
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