Cabbage-Red

The red cabbage is a type of cabbage that is also known as Blaukraut when it has been prepared. Its leaves are a dark red/purple tint. However, due to a pigment called anthocyanin, the plant’s color varies in response to the pH of the soil. In acidic soils, the leaves get more crimson, in neutral soils, they become purple, and in alkaline soils, they become more greenish-yellow.

Red cabbage juice can be used as a pH indicator at home, becoming red in acidic solutions and green/yellow in basic ones. Red cabbage is a vegetable that can be cooked; to keep the cabbage’s red color, add vinegar or acidic fruit to the saucepan. Red cabbage grows well on well-fertilized soil with plenty of dampness. It’s a seasonal plant that blooms in the spring and is harvested in the fall. Red cabbage keeps better than its “white” relatives and does not require sauerkraut conversion to last through the winter.