Cruciferous Vegetables: Cruciferous Definition And The List Of Cruciferous Vegetables

The cruciferous family of vegetables have generated a lot of interest in the health world due to their cancer fighting compounds. This leads many gardeners to wonder what cruciferous vegetables are and if they can grow them in their garden. Good news! You probably already grow at least one (and likely several) types of cruciferous veggies.

What are Cruciferous Vegetables?

Broadly, cruciferous vegetables belong to the Cruciferae family, which mostly contains the Brassica genus, but does include a few other genuses. In general, cruciferous vegetables are cool weather vegetables and have flowers that have four petals so that they resemble a cross.

In most cases, the leaves or flower buds of cruciferous vegetables are eaten, but there are a few where either the roots or seeds are also eaten.

Because these vegetables belong to the same family, they tend to be susceptible to the same diseases and pests. Cruciferous vegetable diseases can include:

Cruciferous vegetable pests can include:

Because the cruciferous family of vegetables are susceptible to the same diseases and pests, it’s best to make sure that you rotate the location of all cruciferous vegetables in your garden each year. In other words, don’t plant a cruciferous vegetable where a cruciferous vegetable was planted last year. This will help to protect them from diseases and pests that can overwinter in the soil.

Complete List of Cruciferous Vegetables

Below you will find a list of cruciferous vegetables. While you may not have heard the term cruciferous vegetable before, it’s likely that you have grown many of them in your garden. They include:

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This article was last updated on 07/18/21

Read more about General Vegetable Garden Care