Brussel sprouts are not little cabbages as some might think. They, in fact, grow along a large stalk, starting at the bottom and growing upwards. The very top part of the plant looks like a large blooming cabbage flour... if there was such a thing. These large leaves on top are also edible. However, what we're after are the tiny Brussel sprouts that grow all along the thick stalks, under the large leaves. When harvested, the stalk is chopped from the base and the top leaves are trimmed off, leaving a thick stalk covered with the sprouts.