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Ewiger Kohl

Perennial Vegetables

Ewiger Kohl

Brassica oleracea var. ramosa

Its name means “everlasting cabbage” — a perennial kale that can crop for years without being resown.

Perennial“Everlasting cabbage”Cut-and-come-again
In stockFrom £12.99

Plants are grown on a small scale. The exact supplied size and format can vary with the season; when this item is available, the current sale details are shown here.

LifecyclePerennial. Evergreen in mild winters and quick to regrow strongly each spring.
PositionFull sun to partial shade.
SoilFertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil. A generous mulch or compost top-dressing supports the continuous leaf production.
Garden sizeCan reach around 90 cm tall and spread to approximately 60 cm wide.
ContainerBest in open ground, but can also be grown in a large container at least 35–40 cm deep.
Historic erasMedieval

Why it belongs in a forgotten garden

Ewiger Kohl — the story

Why grow it?

The name does most of the selling: “everlasting cabbage”. Ewiger Kohl is a long-lived perennial brassica harvested leaf by leaf and normally maintained from cuttings rather than resown each spring.

History & context

Also known as everlasting cabbage, Ewiger Kohl is a hardy, low-maintenance leafy green grown for its reliable harvests and tender spring leaves. Unlike the tougher Daubenton kale often sold elsewhere, this is a softer, more pleasant-leaved form that makes an excellent choice for the kitchen garden. Ideal for sustainable growing, it provides a steady supply of fresh greens with very little fuss. Evergreen in mild winters and quick to regrow strongly each spring. Full sun to partial shade. Can reach around 90 cm tall and spread to approximately 60 cm wide. Best in open ground, but can also be grown in a large container at least 35 to 40 cm deep. Produces mild, tender leaves that are ideal as spring greens. Harvest as needed and use fresh when young, or cook in the same way as kale or cabbage in stir-fries, soups, and other savoury dishes. A reliable perennial crop that returns year after year, making it a great choice for productive, low-maintenance gardens. A tough and dependable plant that copes well in a range of conditions. Once established, it is easy to look after and rewards with repeat harvests over a long season.

Explore its place in Medieval garden history.

Growing guide

How to grow Ewiger Kohl

Soil & position

Fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil. A generous mulch or compost top-dressing supports the continuous leaf production.

Light: Full sun to partial shade.

Water

Water well during establishment and in prolonged dry periods. Mature plants are tougher but crop best when not repeatedly drought-stressed.

Propagation

Propagate from healthy side-shoot or stem cuttings. This type is valued precisely because it is vegetatively maintained and may flower rarely or inconsistently.

Sowing referencePropagate cuttings Mar–AprDepth: – • Cold treatment: No (cuttings)

Ongoing care

Harvest regularly, remove damaged lower leaves and prune back long, ungainly stems to encourage bushier replacement growth. Stake very large plants in exposed gardens.

From garden to kitchen

Harvesting & eating it

When to harvest

Leaves can be taken for much of the year once the plant is established, with the best quality from vigorous fresh growth.

Take tender outer leaves and shoot tips as needed while leaving enough foliage for the plant to keep growing. It is a genuine cut-and-come-again crop, with the strongest fresh growth typically returning in spring.

What is edible?

Leaves and tender young shoots.

Flavour & cooking

Produces mild, tender leaves that are ideal as spring greens. Harvest as needed and use fresh when young, or cook in the same way as kale or cabbage in stir-fries, soups and other savoury dishes.

Food value

As a leafy brassica it provides fibre and the familiar range of nutrients associated with kale and cabbage. Exact values depend on variety, leaf age and cooking method.

Traditional medicinal uses, where mentioned in the historical material, are included as history rather than medical advice.

Kitchen history

Ewiger Kohl, potato & mustard pan

A robust everyday use for a plant designed to be harvested again and again.

A modern recipe built around the old-site selling point: tender leaves used as spring greens.

You’ll need

  • 250 g Ewiger Kohl leaves, stalks removed and shredded
  • 500 g cooked potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 medium red or brown onion, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1½ tbsp olive oil or 20 g butter
  • 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
  • ½ lemon
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Heat the oil or butter in a wide frying pan and cook the onion for 6–8 minutes until soft.
  2. Add the garlic and cooked potatoes; fry for 5 minutes until the potatoes begin to colour.
  3. Add the shredded Ewiger Kohl with 2 tbsp water, cover and cook for 3–4 minutes until tender.
  4. Stir through the mustard, lemon juice and plenty of black pepper.
  5. Taste for salt and serve while the greens are still bright.

How tough is it?

Resilience, pests & garden value

Resilience

A tough and dependable plant that copes well in a range of conditions. Once established, it is easy to look after and rewards with repeat harvests over a long season.

Pests & practical problems

Treat it like other brassicas: caterpillars, pigeons, slugs and whitefly can all cause damage. Because the plant is perennial, checking regularly matters more than assuming winter will reset the pest cycle.

Wildlife value

If it flowers, brassica blooms are valuable to pollinators, although many perennial kales flower only rarely.

Growing in a container

Best in open ground, but can also be grown in a large container at least 35–40 cm deep.

Container plants generally need more frequent watering and feeding than the same plant in open ground.

Ready to grow it?

Ewiger Kohl

Plants are grown on a small scale. The exact supplied size and format can vary with the season; when this item is available, the current sale details are shown here.

From £12.99Add to basket above

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