Purple Cauliflower Violet de Sicile ORGANIC - Brassica oleracea var. botrytis

Purple cauliflower – a Sicilian variety that surprises on the plate. Violet de Sicile is a vigorous-growing cauliflower variety of Italian origin. It forms a round, compact head made up of tightly packed florets in an unusual, intense purple color. Plants reach 50–70 cm in height and need fertile, humus-rich soil and regular watering.

At a glance

• Growth habit: vigorous, 50–70 cm
• Head: round, compact, purple
• Sowing for seedlings: March – May, at approx. 20°C
• Transplanting: April – June, when seedlings have 3–4 leaves
• Harvest: July – October
• Position: sunny, with fertile, humus-rich, consistently moist soil
• Difficulty: moderate
• Seeds per packet: approx. 250

What makes this variety special

Purple cauliflower is one of the most striking brassica vegetables in the garden. Violet de Sicile comes from traditional Italian varieties and forms beautifully rounded, compact heads that stand out clearly against its gray-green leaves in the garden bed.

Unlike white cauliflower, this variety does not need its leaves folded over the head to protect it from the sun and preserve its color – its intense hue is natural. In Belgium and Italy, it is also sometimes grown from summer sowings for a winter or spring harvest, but in the Polish climate, spring and summer cultivation is the most reliable, as plants tolerate frost only down to approx. -5°C.

Growing step by step

Sowing (March – May): Sow the seeds in trays or plug trays filled with seed-starting mix, at a depth of approx. 1 cm. The optimal germination temperature is approx. 20–22°C, and seedlings emerge after 5–10 days. After emergence, lower the temperature to 15–18°C to prevent the seedlings from becoming leggy.

Pricking out: When seedlings develop their first true leaves, transplant them into individual pots or cells. Harden off the seedlings before planting out, gradually acclimatizing them to outdoor conditions.

Planting out (April – June): Plant out seedlings with 3–4 leaves in their permanent position, spacing them 60 × 60 cm apart. Cauliflower prefers fertile, humus-rich, fairly firm, consistently moist soil with plenty of compost.

Care: Water regularly and generously throughout the season, directing the water at the base of the plants rather than onto the leaves. Mulching reduces water evaporation, while weeding and lightly earthing up the plants improves their stability. Avoid excess nitrogen, which encourages leaf growth at the expense of the head. Cover the bed with insect netting to protect plants from cabbage white butterflies and flea beetles.

Uses

Harvest the head when it is large and compact, before it starts to loosen. It tastes best straight after harvesting, keeps for 4–5 days in the fridge, and blanched florets can be frozen. Violet de Sicile is suitable raw in salads, in cream soups and bakes, and for roasting – including whole. The purple florets look beautiful on a vegetable platter.

Gardener's tip

About the producer

The seeds come from Semailles – a Belgian artisan producer of organic seeds from the province of Namur in Wallonia. Semailles offers only non-hybrid varieties (no F1), including many traditional and collector's varieties. Some seeds are propagated on its own fields, while others are grown in collaboration with organic growers in Belgium and France. All batches are certified organic (inspection BE-BIO-01).

Specifications