Savoy cabbage takes its name from the Savoy region, with related forms known as Milan and Lombard cabbage across northern Italy. Unlike the tightly packed heads of standard cabbage, Savoy forms a looser, more open structure with deeply crinkled, dark green leaves that are more tender and subtly sweeter than their compact cousins. Plants grow 1 to 2 feet tall and do best in full sun in fertile, well-amended soil with consistent moisture — a cool-season crop that asks for its best conditions in autumn.

Seeds started indoors and transplanted to the garden in late summer produce a fall or winter crop; a second planting in early spring extends the harvest. Savoy cabbage is ready when the head feels heavy for its size and the outer leaves show a bright, saturated green. It is versatile at the table — raw in slaws, braised low and slow with aromatics, or briefly wilted with olive oil and garlic in the Italian style. Growing it among perennials offers winter structural interest, the crinkled heads persisting through cold that would flatten most other vegetables.