Cauliflower
| Cauliflower | |
|---|---|
Cauliflower, cultivar unknown | |
| Species | Brassica oleracea |
| Cultivar group | Botrytis Group |
| Origin | Northeast Mediterranean, South Asia |
| Cultivar group members | Many; see text. |
Cauliflower is one of several vegetables cultivated from the species Brassica oleracea in the genus Brassica, which is in the Brassicaceae (or mustard) family. Cauliflower usually grows with one main stem that carries a large, rounded "head" made of tightly clustered, immature white or off-white flower buds called the "curd". Typically, only the "head" is eaten.
An annual plant that reproduces by seed, the cauliflower head is composed of a (generally) white inflorescence meristem. Although cauliflower heads resemble those in broccoli, the latter differs in having flower buds as the edible portion.
The global cauliflower production (combined with broccoli) in 2023 was 26.5 million tonnes, led by China and India with 72% of the total.