Large Charleston Wakefield

Very large, green, triangular shaped heads with a rounded tip. Good, sweet flavor with a crisp texture when fresh. Hint of spiciness. Some variation in head size and shape. Moderately solid heads. Leaves are blue-green with light purple in some leaf veins and petioles. Very large plants, 15-18" tall, 2.5-3' wide at market maturity. Heads reach 8-10" long, 5-7" wide, and 5-9lbs. Late maturing. This accession matches the description of Charleston, or Large Wakefield listed in D.M. Ferry catalogue from 1895. Acquired by SSE in the 1980s from the D. Landreth seed company (CV La1). In 1891, Peter Henderson & Company of New York introduced "The Charleston," a "large type of Wakefield" cabbage. Henderson's catalog explained that this variety was developed by them due to customer demand for "a cabbage which had all the characteristics of the Early Jersey Wakefield, but of a greater size." Therefore, Henderson "carefully selected from one of our best stocks of Wakefield a larger type" which they introduced in 1891. SSE Accession # 106613