Hlávkový

Hlávkový is a Czech adjective meaning “having a head” or “forming a head,” used primarily in horticulture and botany. It describes crops that develop into a compact, edible head rather than remaining loose or leafy. The term is closely tied to the noun hlávka, meaning a head, and ultimately to the root hlava (head). In agricultural language, plants described as hlávkový are often contrasted with non-head-forming varieties, sometimes labeled as nehlávkové or listové.

In practice, hlávkový describes varieties that produce a well-defined head. The most familiar examples are hlávkové zelí (cabbage that forms a dense head) and hlávkový salát (head lettuce). The distinction between hlávkové and leafy or loose-headed types matters for cultivation, harvest planning, and market classification, influencing planting density, maturity timing, and post-harvest handling.

Etymology for hlávkový derives from hlávka meaning “head,” with the adjectival suffix -ový to form a descriptor. Related terms include hlávka (the head itself) and hlávková, the feminine form used with feminine nouns.

See also: zelí, kapusta, salát, hlávka, listová zelenina.