Fresh Seeds 25 Cabbage Red Acre Red Acre Cabbage is a gardening favorite, suited for beginner growers as well as those with more expertise! Cabbage is generally a low maintenance plant and very easy to store after autumn harvest. It is annual, and just like their paler green relatives, grow well in greenhouses and outdoors. Red Acre Cabbage will grow to a height of approximately 30 centimeters. Compact plants display spherical 2 - 4 lb. heads and have a great deal of disease resistance. These are a staple in butterfly gardens. As a Brassica vegetable, they possess great nutritive value, being rich in vitamin C and soluble fiber. Red cabbages differs in their color due to the carotenoids contained within leaves, which create the dark red and purple color of this unique species. Carotenoids are phytochemicals known for their special anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Red cabbage pigments also vary according to the pH value of the soil. When grown within acidic soils the leaves appear more reddish, whereas in soils of neutral PH leaves display a purple hue. Within alkaline soils red acre cabbages will look greenish-yellow. Needless to say, Red acre cabbage is an excellent test of soil PH. When cooked, red cabbage turns a blue color, so this cabbage is often eaten raw, to preserve the deep red and purple colors. Similar to its yellow counterpart, this cruciferous vegetable does well in slow-cooked recipes, but makes salads and wraps extra colorful! When cooking in soups however, it is common for the red pigment to turn lighter vegetables a pale blue, depending upon the amount of pigment present in leaves.