An annual plant that reproduces by seed, the cauliflower head is composed of a (generally) white inflorescence meristem.

[1] Genomic analysis finds initially evolved from broccoli with three MADS-box genes, playing roles in its curd formation.

[4] Cauliflower contains several non-nutrient phytochemicals common in the cabbage family that are under preliminary research for their potential properties, including isothiocyanates and glucosinolates.

[18] It is thought to have been introduced into Italy from Cyprus or the east coast of the Mediterranean around 1490 and then spread to other European countries in the following centuries.

[19] They were introduced to France from Genoa in the 16th century and are featured in Olivier de Serres' Théâtre de l'agriculture (1600), as cauli-fiori "as the Italians call it, which are still rather rare in France; they hold an honorable place in the garden because of their delicacy",[20] but they did not commonly appear on grand tables until the time of Louis XIV.

[23] Cauliflower is relatively difficult to grow compared to cabbage, with common problems such as an underdeveloped head and poor curd quality.

[5] Long periods of sun exposure in hot summer weather may cause cauliflower heads to discolor with a red-purple hue.

Rapid vegetative growth after transplanting may benefit from such procedures as avoiding spring frosts, using starter solutions high in phosphorus, irrigating weekly, and applying fertilizer.

[5] The most important disorders affecting cauliflower quality are a hollow stem, stunted head growth or buttoning, ricing, browning, and leaf-tip burn.

[5] Among major pests affecting cauliflower are aphids, root maggots, cutworms, moths, and flea beetles.

[5] Forced air cooling to remove heat from the field during hot weather may be needed for optimal preservation.

Another quality, also present in other plant species, is that the angle between "modules", as they become more distant from the center, is 360 degrees divided by the golden ratio.