Sea Kale
Crambe maritima
Native to the seacoasts of Western Europe, this member of the cabbage family is grown for the early spring sprouts arising from well-established plants. The young leaves must be blanched, like celery or asparagus, to prevent a bitter flavor when cooked.
Sea Kale was among Thomas Jefferson's favorite vegetables; he first recorded the planting of seeds of it at Monticello in 1809. Native to the seacoast of Great Britain, this hardy perennial of the cabbage family is grown for the early spring sprouts that arise from well-established plants (2 to 3 years old). Sea Kale is also quite ornamental with blueish-green leaves and showy white flowers in summer. Sea Kale has a pleasing, mild cabbage taste. At Monticello the shoots are often covered with large blanching pots as they emerge in spring. When the leaves get six inches high, they are cut from the ground and can be prepared like asparagus.
In Bloom at Monticello is made possible by support from The Richard D. and Carolyn W. Jacques Foundation.
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Between April and October, all house tours come with a free guided Garden Tour, or you can explore the grounds on your own with the Bloomberg Connects App
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Heirloom Seeds and Plants from the Monticello collection
Plant history in your gardens with seeds and plants from Monticello and the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants.
