Flame Star Cauliflower
(68 days) F-1 hybrid. The first discovery of an orange cauliflower was in 1970 in a field of white cauliflower near Toronto. This carotene-rich mutant was smaller and less flavorful than ideal, so work began to cross-breed it to white cauliflower in order to increase size and flavor, while keeping the unique color. Michael Dickson did this cross breeding and selection for decades at the Experimental Station in Geneva, NY. One of the early releases was Cheddar, a variety carried by Monsanto, so one we would not sell despite its obvious appeal. But now we have discovered Flame Star, whose pastel orange color is not only attractive but also makes it many times richer in vitamin A than its paler cousins. With 7" uniform heads of smooth dense curds on a sturdy plant, this is a highly adaptable variety that consistently performs well in a range of conditions, especially heat stress, and so a good choice for specialty markets. But the flavor! I’m a stickler for good taste in raw cauliflower and Flame Star gets high marks for a rich sweet flavor whether raw or cooked. At our warehouse trial table, at the end of the day we tasted cauliflower, Flame Star had disappeared. And that’s the ultimate approval rating. Tested negative for BR and BL. ⑥
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