Share your pictures? Hide split images
I have read and agree the terms and conditions of service.

Crambe cordifolia - Flowering Sea Kale Seeds

Crambe cordifolia
Flowering Sea Kale, Heart-Leaved Colewort

Be the first to leave a review

Why not try an alternative variety in stock?

53
From 2,50 € Seeds
12
From 2,50 € Seeds
7
From 3,90 € Seeds
9
From 5,50 € Seeds
12
30% 3,43 € 4,90 € Seeds
23
From 2,90 € Seeds
29
From 3,90 € Seeds
114
From 2,50 € Seeds
21
From 3,50 € Seeds
12
From 2,50 € Seeds
13
From 4,50 € Seeds
16
From 5,50 € Seeds
16
From 4,50 € Seeds
16
From 5,90 € Seeds

Shipping country:

Schedule delivery date,

and select date in basket

This plant carries a 6 months recovery warranty

More information

Graden Merit
A perennial sea kale that deserves much more than just a spot in the garden or in our plates! Imposing but airy, in spring or early summer it unfurls a cloud of small, white, fragrant flowers that reaches a man's height. Only its basal foliage, composed of large, thick, fleshy leaves, reminds us that it is a species of cabbage. Plant in the sun, in deep, well-drained, fertile soil, even a calcareous one. Sow under heated cover, in February-March or directly in the open ground.
Flower size
1 cm
Height at maturity
1.80 m
Exposure
Sun
Annual / Perennial
Perennial
Germination time (days)
28 days
Sowing method
Direct sowing, Sowing under cover, Sowing under cover with heat
plantfit-full

Would this plant suit my garden?

Set up your Plantfit profile →

Sowing period February to May
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Flowering time May to July
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Description

Crambe cordifolia carries the pretty French common name of chou nuage (or cloud cabbage in English), because of its blooms that look like a cloud of small white flowers. This elegant cousin of the garden cabbage is very much a perennial plant that will stay with the gardener for about ten years. A few years of man-sized happiness with your nose immersed in a honey-scented mist. Only its foliage, composed of large fleshy heart-shaped leaves, reminds us that it is a cabbage, but what a cabbage! Plant it in the sun, a little away from other plants with vigorous root systems that could put up too much competition for it. Give it deep, well-drained, fertile soil, even a calcareous one.

Crambe cordifolia is a plant of the family Brassicaceae, formerly Cruciferae. It is native to the Caucasus. It is a perennial herbaceous plant with a powerful root system that reaches deep into the soil. The plant takes time to establish itself and will only reach its full potential after 2 to 3 years of cultivation. Sowing it requires a little experience and patience since the germination is sometimes slow and a little fickle. The young plants will need to be protected from gastropods.

The basal foliage develops every spring, forming a mound 60 cm in diameter. Then thick, branched flower stems rise up, easily reaching a height of 1.80 m, forming a misty cloud measuring 1 m in height and in width. This very airy flowering takes place from the end of May to the end of July, depending on the climate, 2 to 3 years from seed. Its inflorescences are made up of branched spikes on which very small white flowers with 4 petals, 1 cm across, cling. Nectar-rich, they give off a sweet, honey-like scent that attracts pollinating insects by the hundreds. The flower stems sometimes remain after the petals have fallen off. The blooms are followed by the formation of small, hard round fruits called silicules, each containing one seed. The foliage, at the base of the stems, consists of large, heart-shaped leaves, reaching 40 to 60 cm in length and width, which are quite breakable. They are thick and fleshy, toothed and hairy, crinkled, puckered and bluish-green in colour. The few leaves on the stems are smaller, hairless and oval in shape. The basal foliage tends to be less beautiful and may even disappear after the flowers fade.

Flowering sea kale is not difficult to grow, but it requires lots of sun and deep, well-drained soil. Like a baby's breath, it is the perfect in beds where its huge, airy sprays serve as a great foil for large-flowered plants, such as roses or tree peonies for example. Since this perennial takes its time to establish itself, annual plants (love-in-a-mist, Cosmos, cornflowers, ornamental carrots) can be sown in the first year to fill the spaces reserved for it, just the time it takes for the sea kale to attain full maturity. Pretty perennials such as the geraniums Rozanne or Blue Cloud also combine well with them from a distance. Other plants with airy blooms such as Thalictrum, Aster cordifolius or Eragrostis spectabilis can compose quite a poetic setting, planted along with flowering sea kale, at a safe distance from their roots. These plants become quite enormous and flower from mid-summer until the first cold spells, enhancing their  large, lobed foliage.

Flowering

Flower colour white
Flowering time May to July
Inflorescence Panicle
Flower size 1 cm
Fragrance slightly scented, sucré doux aux accents de miel.

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous
Foliage colour dark green

Plant habit

Height at maturity 1.80 m
Spread at maturity 1.50 m
Growth rate slow

Botanical data

Genus

Crambe

Species

cordifolia

Family

Brassicaceae

Other common names

Flowering Sea Kale, Heart-Leaved Colewort

Origin

Caucasus

Product reference862181

Other Thompson and Morgan seeds

13
From 4,90 € Seeds
20
From 3,50 € Seeds
30
From 8,90 € Seeds
4
From 5,50 € Seeds
12
From 2,50 € Seeds
16
From 5,90 € Seeds
3
6,50 € Seeds
31
From 1,60 € Seeds
15
From 4,90 € Seeds

Planting and care

Sowing advice:

Sow Crambe cordifolia seeds from February to May. In February-March, sow in trays kept at 15-18 °C in good quality, well-drained compost. Cover the seeds with 6 mm layer of soil. You can also direct sow in the open ground in April-May. In this case, prepare the soil carefully, remove all roots and weeds. Loosen the soil thoroughly and improve its texture with leaf compost and coarse sand. Watch out for slugs and snails.

Keep the soil moist but not wet and keep the seedlings in the light. Germination usually takes between 3 and 5 weeks. When the plants are large enough to be handled, prick them out into individual 7.5 cm pots and grow them in cooler conditions until they are large enough (10 cm) to be planted outdoors. When the plants are well-developed and any risk of severe frost has passed, begin acclimatizing them to outdoor conditions for 7 to 10 days. Then transplant in the open ground, in the sun in any well-drained, good garden soil. Keep a distance of 75 cm between each plant.

Growing advice :

Plant Crambe cordifolia in spring or early autumn. It is best to plant it in the sun, in deep, soft soil that most importantly, is well-drained. Crambe will thrive in poor soil and light shade, but will the quality of its flowering is best in fertile soil and in a sunny position. Protect it from strong winds, only water adult plants during prolonged periods of drought. In soil that is too heavy or clayey, the base of the Crambe is likely to rot. It is a hardy plant that resists heavy frosts well. Simply remove the dead leaves in late autumn. Every year, add a good shovelful of mature garden compost to the base of the plant. Mulch the soil to keep it moist in hot, dry regions. Remove wilted flowers to prevent the plant from exhausting itself through the production of seeds. However, you can still save some of the fruit to sow their seeds at a later time to obtain new plants to give as gifts or to place somewhere else in your garden. Protect the leaves from the voracious appetite of gastropods in spring.

 

 

6
19,50 €
16
14,50 € Each

Sowing period

Sowing period February to May
Sowing method Direct sowing, Sowing under cover, Sowing under cover with heat
Germination time (days) 28 days

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow, Woodland edge
Type of use Border
Hardiness Hardy down to -29°C (USDA zone 5) Show map
Ease of cultivation Amateur
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Calcareous
Soil moisture Moist soil, Riche, drainé et profond

This item has not been reviewed yet - be the first to leave a review about it.

Leave a review →

Flower seeds

8
10,90 € Seeds
41
From 2,10 € Seeds
12
From 2,10 € Seeds
9
From 1,60 € Seeds
32
From 3,90 € Seeds
Out of stock
From 2,90 € Seeds
66
From 2,50 € Seeds
20
From 6,50 € Seeds

Haven't found what you were looking for?

We only deliver seed and bulb products to your country. If you add other products to your basket, they cannot be shipped.