Editing Cabbage (section)

{{short description|Leafy vegetable in the flowering plant family Brassicaceae}}
{{About|the vegetable}}
{{featured article}}
{{Infobox cultivar
| name = Cabbage
| image = Cabbage and cross section on white.jpg
| image_caption = A savoy cabbage and a cross section
| species = ''[[Brassica oleracea]]''
| group = Capitata Group
| origin = Europe, prior to 1000 BC
| subdivision = {{plainlist|
* White cabbage
* [[Red cabbage]]
* [[Savoy cabbage]]
  }}
}}

'''Cabbage''', comprising several [[cultivar]]s of ''[[Brassica oleracea]]'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) [[biennial plant]] grown as an [[Annual plant|annual]] vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage ([[Brassica oleracea|''B.&nbsp;oleracea'' var. ''oleracea'']]), and belongs to the "[[cole crops]]" or brassicas, meaning it is closely related to [[broccoli]] and [[cauliflower]] (var. ''botrytis''); [[Brussels sprouts]] (var. ''gemmifera''); and [[Savoy cabbage]] (var. ''sabauda'').

A cabbage generally weighs between {{convert|500|and|1000|g|lbs|sigfig=1}}. Smooth-leafed, firm-headed green cabbages are the most common, with smooth-leafed purple cabbages and crinkle-leafed savoy cabbages of both colours being rarer. Under conditions of long sunny days, such as those found at high northern latitudes in summer, cabbages can grow quite large. {{As of|2012}}, the heaviest cabbage was {{convert|62.71|kg|lboz|frac=2}}. <!-- Some records are discussed at the end of the history section. --> Cabbage heads are generally picked during the first year of the plant's [[Biological life cycle|life cycle]], but plants intended for seed are allowed to grow a second year and must be kept separate from other [[cole crops]] to prevent [[cross-pollination]]. Cabbage is prone to several [[micronutrient deficiency|nutrient deficiencies]], as well as to multiple [[Pest (agriculture)|pests]], and bacterial and fungal diseases.

Cabbage was most likely [[domestication|domesticated]] somewhere in [[Europe]] in [[ancient history]] before 1000 BC. [[List of cabbage dishes|Cabbage use in cuisine]] has been documented since [[Classical antiquity|Antiquity]].<ref name="briefhistoricalsketch">A brief historical sketch is in [[#Toussaint-Samat|Toussaint-Samat]], pp. 622ff.</ref> It was described as a table luxury in the [[Roman Empire]].<ref>The Natural History of Pompeii. Cambridge University Press. 2002. p. 94. ISBN 978-0-521-80054-9</ref> By the [[Middle Ages]], cabbage had become a prominent part of [[European cuisine]], as indicated by [[manuscript illumination]]s.<ref>Ingram, Christine (2000). The Cook's Guide to Vegetables. Hermes House. pp. 64–66. ISBN 978-1-84038-842-8.</ref> New variates were introduced from the [[Renaissance]] on, mostly by [[Germanic peoples|Germanic-speaking peoples]]. [[Savoy cabbage]] was developed in the 16th century. By the 17th and 18th centuries, cabbage was popularised as [[staple food]] in central, northern, and Eastern Europe.<ref name="Tannahill">[[#Tannahill|Tannahill]], pp. 289–291</ref> It was also employed by European sailors to prevent [[scurvy]] during long ship voyages at sea. Starting in the [[Early Modern Era|early modern era]], cabbage was exported to the [[Americas]], [[Asia]], and around the world.<ref name="universityofarizona-cabbage">{{cite web|url=http://cals.arizona.edu/fps/sites/cals.arizona.edu.fps/files/cotw/cabbage.pdf|title=Green Cabbage|author=Nolte, Kurt|publisher=University of Arizona|access-date=2012-08-14|archive-date=2013-06-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130626020823/http://cals.arizona.edu/fps/sites/cals.arizona.edu.fps/files/cotw/cabbage.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

They can be prepared many different ways for eating; they can be [[pickling|pickled]], [[fermented]] (for dishes such as [[sauerkraut]], [[kimchi]]), [[steaming|steamed]], [[stewing|stewed]], [[roasting|roasted]], [[Sautéing|sautéed]], [[braising|braised]], or eaten [[Raw food|raw]]. Raw cabbage is a rich source of [[vitamin K]], [[vitamin C]], and [[dietary fiber]]. World production of cabbage and other [[brassica]]s in 2020 was 71 million [[tonne]]s, led by [[China]] with 48% of the total.