Not to be confused with Cauliflory. It is an annual plant that reproduces by seed. In the Middle Ages, early forms of cauliflower were associated with the island of Cyprus, with the 12th- and 13th-cauliflower buffalo wings Arab botanists Ibn al-‘Awwam and Ibn al-Baitar claiming its origin to be Cyprus. François Pierre La Varenne employed chouxfleurs in Le cuisinier françois.

The word “cauliflower” derives from the Italian cavolfiore, meaning “cabbage flower”. Cauliflower is relatively difficult to grow compared to cabbage, with common problems such as an underdeveloped head and poor curd quality. The earliest maturity possible for cauliflower is 7 to 12 weeks from transplanting. Long periods of sun exposure in hot summer weather may cause cauliflower heads to discolor with a red-purple hue. Transplantable cauliflowers can be produced in containers such as flats, hotbeds, or fields.