Giant Vegetable Sheep Plant Care

Giant Vegetable Sheep (Pleurophyllum criniferum) belongs to the Asteraceae family within the Pleurophyllum genus. Giant Vegetable Sheep is native to the subantarctic islands of New Zealand. Giant Vegetable Sheep is also known as Cabbage Tree, Albinea oresigenesa, Aster crinifer.

Giant Vegetable Sheep displays a low rosette, clumping growth habit, reaching up to 1.5 ft tall with a spread of approximately 2 ft. Giant Vegetable Sheep produces large daisy-like flowers in shades of purple, pink, or white.

Leaf size: approximately 8 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Giant Vegetable Sheep every 7–10 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established shrubs mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Giant Vegetable Sheep thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Pleurophyllum criniferum tolerates temperatures of 50–75°F. Giant Vegetable Sheep prefers humidity levels of 40–60%.

Well-draining sandy soil with added organic matter for moisture retention. Good drainage is essential for Giant Vegetable Sheep to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Giant Vegetable Sheep every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established shrubs in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining sandy soil with added organic matter for moisture retention. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Giant Vegetable Sheep is suited to USDA Zone 8b – 9b.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped shrubs in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Giant Vegetable Sheep can spread to about 2 ft (0.6 m) and reach about 2 ft (0 m) tall. Space plants about 2 ft (0.6 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the plant spacing calculator.

Prune Giant Vegetable Sheep while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the shrub in one year.

Giant Vegetable Sheep is hardy down to USDA zone 8b, so once established it can stay outdoors through winter in that zone and warmer ones.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown shrubs need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

Giant Vegetable Sheep can be propagated through seeds, division of offsets. Similar propagation techniques also apply to hooker's leaf plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Giant Vegetable Sheep is susceptible to aphids, slugs, snails. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Giant Vegetable Sheep grows outdoors in USDA Zone 8b – 9b. It survives winters down to planting zone 8b. Giant Vegetable Sheep is native to the subantarctic islands of New Zealand.