Cabbageorheaded cabbage(comprising severalcultivarsofBrassica oleracea) is a leafy green or purplebiennial plant, grown as anannualvegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads.It is descended from the wild cabbage,B. oleraceavar.oleracea, and is closely related tobroccoliandcauliflower(var.botrytis),brussels sprouts(var.gemmmifera) andsavoy cabbage(var.sabauda). Cabbage heads generally range from 0.5 to 4 kilograms (1 to 9 lb), and can be green, purple and white. Smooth-leafed firm-headed green cabbages are the most common, with smooth-leafed red and crinkle-leafed savoy cabbages of both colors seen more rarely. It is a multi-layered vegetable. Under conditions of long sunlit days such as are found at high northern latitudes in summer, cabbages can grow much larger. Some records are discussed at the endof the history secE

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