| On a subtropical island off the coast of Chile grows the critically endagered, unique Robinson Crusoe Cabbage Tree, a giant relative of the common Sow-Thistle weeds. I bought seeds and now have dozens of seedlings. This article is a brief introduction to this obscure plant. |
| First of all, its rarity. On Robinson Crusoe Island, which is one of the Juan Fernández Islands, west of Chile, the population had been reduced to only three surviving trees in the wild in the 1980s. But now the plant is in cultivation and safe. |
| It is a dwarf, thick-stemmed tree (pachycaul) at most recorded to 20 feet tall with trunks to 8 inches thick. Its leaves resemble strikingly those of cabbage, especially collards; to 20 inches long on stems to 8 and a half inches long. Ornamental orange flowers are borne in summer, recalling dandelion; to 2 and a half inches wide; hummingbird-pollinated. |
| I ordered seeds in February 2018 from Chile, and they sprouted in May. Now, in June and until I run out, I shall sell seedlings, potted in very rich potting soil. No mail order. Come to me in Seattle. |
| The plant is not accustomed to freezing temperatures in the wild, but some cultivated specimens have endured light frosts. That said, it is best to grow it outside all year except bring it indoors during any freezing periods. It does okay in parts of the UK, Ireland, and in San Francisco, so therefore ought to be tested in and near Seattle. |
| The common European annual Sow Thistle weeds, Sonchus oleraceus and Sonchus asper, are among my favorite wild lettuce edibles. The Robinson Crusoe Tree Cabbage affords yummy, nutritious foliage also. The flowers are apt to taste sweet rather than bitter. |
The photographs below show my young plants. If you do a Google image search you can see what the flowers and mature plants look like. But use the old name Dendroseris litoralis because the 2012 Sonchus brassicifolius name is not yet in wide usage.
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Sonchus brassicifolius seedlings May 18th; photo by ALJ
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Sonchus brassicifolius seedlings June 22nd ; photo by ALJ
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Sonchus brassicifolius seedlings August 6th ; photo by ALJ
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Sonchus brassicifolius seedlings potted for sale ; photo by ALJ
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