Crop type: Cabbages
Brassica oleracea (Capitata Group) ‘Hispi’
Common name: Cabbage ‘Hispi’
Crop slug: cabbages
This Allotment Pro editorial draft summarises the cited RHS cultivar profile. Check the source and adjust cultivation decisions for local conditions.RHS cultivar profile
1 - Overview
‘Hispi’ is a compact F1 hybrid summer cabbage, grown as an annual vegetable. Bushy plants form dense, pointed heads wrapped in smooth, dark-green leaves. Depending on sowing time, heads can be harvested from late spring through early autumn.
Its compact form and long potential cutting season make it useful in small plots. The tight pointed head is its clearest visible distinction from round-headed summer cultivars.
2 - Size
- Ultimate height
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- Ultimate spread
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- Time to ultimate size
- 1 year
The small overall dimensions suit limited ground space, while adequate final spacing still ensures that every pointed head receives light and airflow.
3 - Growing conditions
- Suitable soils
- Chalk, clay and loam
- Moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Soil pH
- Neutral or alkaline
Grow ‘Hispi’ in fertile, firm ground that retains moisture without becoming waterlogged. Neutral or alkaline soil is preferable, particularly where acidic conditions would increase clubroot risk.
4 - Position and hardiness
- Light
- Full sun
- Aspect
- South- or west-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed or sheltered
- Hardiness
- H2 — tolerant of cool temperatures but not freezing, appropriate for a summer crop harvested before severe cold
Choose an open sunny position. The profile accepts exposed and sheltered locations, but steady summer moisture and pest protection are important for uninterrupted head formation.
5 - Colour and seasonal interest
| Season | Flowers | Foliage | Fruit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | — | Green | — |
| Summer | — | Green | — |
| Autumn | — | Green | — |
| Winter | — | — | — |
The live profile records green foliage from spring through autumn, and the overview specifies smooth dark-green leaves. An em dash means no colour is stated for that field and season.
6 - Botanical details
- Family
- Brassicaceae
- Native to Great Britain and Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Habit
- Bushy
- Name status
- Accepted
Genus
Brassica includes upright annual, biennial and perennial plants with alternate, often glaucous leaves, long taproots and clusters of cross-shaped yellow or white flowers. Its food crops include cabbages, turnips, mustards and oilseed rape.
7 - How to grow
Cultivation
Grow ‘Hispi’ in firm, fertile soil in an open, sunny bed. Avoid repeatedly growing brassicas in the same ground, which encourages soil-borne disease to accumulate. Match sowing time to the desired harvest between late spring and early autumn.
Propagation
Propagate by seed, raised in modules or a seedbed before transplanting or sown at final spacing.
Pruning
No pruning is required. Remove only faded or badly damaged outer leaves and cut the pointed head when firm.
Pests
The profile lists cabbage root fly, cabbage caterpillars, cabbage whitefly, mealy cabbage aphid, slugs and snails as possible problems. Secure insect-proof mesh and early protection of seedlings reduce damage.
Diseases
‘Hispi’ may be susceptible to clubroot, particularly in acidic soil. Rotate brassicas, use clean transplants, maintain drainage and correct strongly acidic ground where appropriate.