Copenhagen Market cabbage brings a century of European breeding excellence to your garden, having made its American debut in 1909 after development in Denmark. This early-season variety produces manageable 2-5 pound heads in just 65 days, though some sources report harvest times ranging from 65-80 days. Hardy across zones 2-10, these compact cabbages offer sweet, delicate flavor that makes them perfect for everything from roasts to homemade sauerkraut. Their medium size and exceptional taste more than compensate for what they lack in sheer bulk compared to storage varieties.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Consistent Moisture
Preferred Temp60-75°F
Growth Stats
18 in
Height
—
Width
18 in
Spacing
65–65
Days to Harvest
PeriodPerennial
TypeForb/herb
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-10
Size
18in H x ?in W
Growth
Perennial
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
What sets Copenhagen Market apart is its perfect balance of early maturity and exceptional flavor in a manageable package. These Danish-bred beauties mature quickly at 65 days yet deliver the sweet, delicate taste that made them a sensation when they first arrived in America over a century ago. The 2-5 pound heads are ideally sized for family meals and specialty dishes like egg rolls, while their compact 12-18 inch plants make efficient use of garden space. This variety proves that sometimes the best things come in smaller, more flavorful packages.
Common Uses
Copenhagen Market excels in applications where its sweet, delicate flavor and manageable size truly matter. These cabbages are perfect for roasting whole, where their 2-5 pound size makes them much more practical than giant storage varieties. They shine in homemade sauerkraut, bringing exceptional flavor to fermented preparations. The tender leaves work beautifully in coleslaw, steamed cabbage dishes, hearty stews, and as wrappers for homemade egg rolls where their delicate taste won't overpower other ingredients.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
Does Not Bloom In General Vegetable Cultivation
First Harvest
70-100 Days After Planting
Last Harvest
Early Fall
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your average last frost date at soil temperatures of 75-85°F. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in seed starting mix.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant seedlings 2-4 weeks before your average last frost date after hardening them off for about a week. Space transplants 18-24 inches apart in rows 2 feet apart.
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds 4-6 weeks before your average last frost date for summer crops, or 10-12 weeks before first fall frost for fall harvests. Plant seeds 1/4 inch deep.
Harvesting
Harvest Copenhagen Market cabbages when heads reach about 7 inches in diameter and feel firm to the touch, typically around 65 days from planting. The heads should be solid and well-formed, weighing between 2-5 pounds at peak quality. For best results, harvest the entire plant including stem and root system, which helps maintain soil health for future plantings. Morning harvest when heads are crisp and cool yields the best flavor and storage quality.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Brassica oleracea L.
Family
Brassicaceae
Genus
Brassica
Duration
Perennial
Growth Habit
Spreading
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)CAN (W)GL (W)
History & Origin
“Copenhagen Market cabbage carries the legacy of Danish plant breeding excellence, having been developed in Denmark and introduced to American gardens in 1909. This variety represents over a century of cultivation history, bringing Old World expertise in cabbage development to New World gardens. Its journey from the fields of Denmark to American soil marks an important moment in vegetable variety exchange, when European agricultural innovations began enriching American garden diversity in the early 20th century.”