VegetableCabbage
Red Acre Cabbage
Round Head Cabbage
Red Acre Cabbage is a nearly century-old heirloom that transforms the humble cabbage into something visually striking, with deep maroon and purple heads that are nearly black when tightly packed. Maturing in around 85 days (though some sources report 90 to 110 days), this frost-hardy variety produces medium-sized heads weighing 2 to 5 pounds with a 5 to 7-inch diameter, making it sized perfectly for home gardeners who want both visual impact and practical portion control. Growing reliably across zones 2 to 10, Red Acre brings both color and substance to the garden, with flesh that stores exceptionally well and delivers higher vitamin C content than its green cousins.
Photo © True Leaf Market(https://www.trueleafmarket.com/products/cabbage-red-acre-seeds)
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Consistent Moisture
Preferred Temp60-70°F
Growth Stats
12 in
Height
6 in
Width
PeriodBiennial
TypeCompact Bush
Spacing
18-24 inches apart
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-10
Size
12in H x 6in W
Growth
Biennial
Care
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
Nearly black heads with a reddish-purple hue reveal themselves from wild Mediterranean ancestry, where the 'red' gene was waiting to be expressed in cultivated cabbage. The heads pack remarkably firm and dense, allowing for tighter spacing in the garden bed. Most gardeners praise its reliability as a performer and its superior storage longevity compared to faster-maturing varieties, plus its sweet and delicate flavor transforms traditional coleslaw into something with real visual character.
Common Uses
Red Acre shines in coleslaw, where its deep color adds visual intrigue alongside its sweet, delicate flavor. The dense, firm heads slice cleanly and hold their texture well in fermented preparations, pickles, and braised dishes. Its superior storage means it works as a late-season harvest crop for keeping fresh through fall and winter, whether raw in salads, roasted, or preserved through fermentation.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
Not Applicable
First Harvest
Mid-summer
Last Harvest
Early Fall
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your average last frost date for a summer crop, or 4 to 6 weeks before transplanting outdoors in summer for a fall harvest. Maintain soil temperature at 75 to 85°F for germination. Transplant seedlings outdoors 2 to 4 weeks before your average last frost date, or in summer for a fall crop. For mild climates, sow seed directly in fall for a cool-season harvest.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant seedlings 2 to 4 weeks before your average last frost date for spring crops, or in midsummer (4 to 6 weeks before your average first frost date) for fall harvest. Space plants 24 inches apart in rows 24 inches apart. Harden off seedlings gradually before transplanting to full sun.
Direct Sow
Direct sow 4 to 6 weeks before your average last frost date for a summer crop, or 10 to 12 weeks before your average first fall frost date for a fall crop.
Harvesting
Harvest Red Acre heads when they feel firm to the touch and the color has deepened to that characteristic reddish-purple, nearly black hue. Heads typically reach 5 to 7 inches in diameter and weigh 2 to 5 pounds at maturity, around 85 days from transplanting (though full maturation may extend to 90 to 110 days depending on growing conditions). Cut the head at the base with a sharp knife. For storage, harvest before a hard freeze, though light frost actually improves flavor and storage quality.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Soil pH Range
6.5 – 7.5
Scientific Classification
Brassica oleracea L.
Family
Brassicaceae
Genus
Brassica
Duration
Perennial
Growth Habit
Forb/herb
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)CAN (W)GL (W)
History & Origin
“Red Acre emerged as a darker-hued cousin of the famous Golden Acre cabbage, drawing its ancestry back to wild cabbage colonies clinging to wind-swept, salt-sprayed Mediterranean coastlines. From these unlikely seaside niches, all cultivated members of the Brassica oleracea species were eventually developed, including broccoli, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, and kale. The red pigment itself, unexpressed in wild cabbage, was revealed through generations of selection and cultivation. Now nearly a century old and still performing reliably in gardens, Red Acre takes about two weeks longer to mature than Golden Acre but earned its continued place in seed catalogs precisely because it stores better and longer in root cellars or refrigerators.”