It’s as recognizable as Spode’s Christmas dishes, as beloved as Blue Willow china, and as collectible as Depression glass: cabbage- and lettuce- ware have graced Southern tables for decades. The leafy dishes are an easy way to infuse your spring place settings with a fresh burst of seasonality, and they’re sure to be treasured family favorites for years to come. Here’s everything you need to know about beloved cabbageware, plus where to find it.

What is Cabbageware?

“Cabbageware” and “lettuce ware” are the terms used to describe dishes and serving pieces that are crafted to resemble the leafy vegetables. While they’re most commonly produced in shades of green to evoke the natural look, they are also made in white, pink, blue, and yellow—all hues that evoke cheery, warm-weather vibes and make these dishes just right for a celebratory spring or Easter table.

Where Did Cabbageware Come From?

Despite the Southern embrace of this tabletop tradition, the origins of the veggie-inspired dishes reach across the pond (and much farther back in history), says Sotheby’s porcelain and ceramics specialist Suzanne Harrison in The Wall Street Journal: “Pottery and porcelain table wares in naturalistic forms such as fruits and vegetables were widely produced in England and Europe throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.” It was a ceramicist decidedly closer to home, though, that sent the leafy pottery’s popularity skyrocketing in the U.S. in the 1960s.

How Did Cabbageware Become Popular in the South?

Around the same time that Lilly Pulitzer splashed juice on her frocks and was thus inspired to create her celebrated line of brightly patterned dresses, a fellow Palm Beach luminary was crafting something equally iconic.

A descendant of the people who first settled the area, artist Dodie Thayer carved out her own place in Florida folklore with her collection of handmade lettuce- and cabbage-shaped pottery. The pieces each took the self-taught artist about two weeks to create and were favorites among the affluent set, including the likes of Brooke Astor, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, and even the Duchess of Windsor.

How to Decorate with Cabbageware

Though we primarily think of cabbageware as intended for dining and entertaining, these beautiful ceramics are so aesthetically appealing that they’re equally suitable for display or presentation purposes. There’s no shortage of ways to decorate with cabbageware.

• Showcase plates in a dining room hutch or china cabinet, hang them together as an artfully designed plate wall, or tuck them in the shelves of a study or library.
• Use a cabbageware bowl or tray as a nightstand catch-all or as a coffee table candy dish.
• Set cabbageware vases by the powder room sink or on an entry table.

The only wrong way to decorate with cabbageware? Stashing it away and saving it just for special occasions!

Where to Buy Cabbageware

While Thayer passed away in 2018 at the age of 91, you can still find her works for sale on sites like 1stdibs.com and Chairish, though they won’t come cheap—A 107-piece collection of Thayer’s pottery from Mario Buatta’s estate sold at auction for $60,000. A collaboration with Tory Burch, first launched in 2013, features Thayer’s classic styles in vibrant greens, petal pinks, and creamy whites; those pieces start at a comparatively more reasonable price.

There are other places to shop the look, as well. Portuguese pottery house Bordallo Pinheiro has churned out the recognizable cabbage- and lettuce-shaped forms since 1884 and remains a popular choice. They’re easy to find too, readily available at big box shops like Williams Sonoma. Our own Southern Living Home Collection at Dillard’s even includes a number of cabbage ware options, which range from everyday plates and bowls to an entertaining-worthy cake stand and vases with flower frogs for easy centerpieces.

Finally, if you’re someone who appreciates the thrill of the hunt, you can bet your bottom dollar that there’s cabbage and lettuce ware to be found in your local antique shops, thrift stores, and estate sales.

Wherever you buy it, there’s no denying that the luxe, leafy china will forever be in style—an heirloom-worthy investment that will elevate your springtime table for years to come.