Brassica oleracea var. italica

Plenck.

Broccoli

Brassicaceae Edible: Leaves, Flowers, Seeds sprouts, Vegetable 20,543 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Source: Wikipedia

Brassica oleracea, also known as wild cabbage in its uncultivated form, is a plant of the family Brassicaceae. The species originated from feral populations of related plants in the Eastern Mediterranean, where it was most likely first cultivated. It has many common cultivars that are used as culinary vegetables, including cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, romanesco, kale, Brussels sprout, collard, Savoy cabbage, kohlrabi, and gai lan.

Description

A cabbage family plant. It has a thickened green or blue flower at the centre. The flower is often in several small heads. They are surrounded by broad leaves attached to a thick stalk. Calabrese is a variety with tightly packed green or purple heads.

Edible Uses

The central flower head is cooked and eaten. The leaves and sprouted seeds are also edible.

Traditional Uses

The central flower is cooked and eaten. The leaves are edible. The sprouted seeds are eaten.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a warm temperate plant. It is mostly grown in the highlands in the tropics. In PNG it is best above 1,100 m above sea level. It is frost resistant. The ideal temperature is 20-25°C. It forms heads best with temperatures 14-21°C. A pH of 5.0-6.0 is suitable. It suits hardiness zones 8-11.

Where It Grows

Africa, Andorra, Asia, Australia, Austria, Bougainville, Britain, Cameroon, Canada, Caucasus, Central Africa, China, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, East Africa, East Timor, Europe, Finland, France, Georgia, Ghana, Guam, Hawaii, India, Indonesia, Italy, Korea, Malawi, Malta, Mediterranean, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, Scandinavia, SE Asia, Sikkim, Slovenia, South Africa, Southern Africa, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Switzerland, Tasmania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, USA, Vanuatu, West Africa, West Indies, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

It is normally grown from imported seed. The seeds are planted in a nursery then transplanted. They are translanted after 4-6 weeks. A spacing of 60 cm x 60 cm is suitable.

Production

Plants are ready for harvest about 3 months after transplanting.

Other Information

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. In Papua New Guinea, only grown is a few highland areas mostly for sale to Europeans.

Notes

There are about 30 Brassica species and many cultivated varieties. It is claimed to help fight cancer, especially prostate cancer. It has 5.7 mg per 100 g dry weight and 3.0 mg fresh weight of alpha-tocopherol (Vitamin E).

Nutrition

Part	Moisture	kJ	kcal	Protein	Vit A	Vit C	Iron	Zinc
Leaves raw	90.7	117	28	3	1600	93.2	0.9	0.4
Flower raw	89	96	23	3.3	2500	110	1.5	0.6
Flower boiled	89.9	78	19	3.1	2500	34	1	0.4
Seed Sprouts	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Also Known As

Asparagus broccoli, Brocoli, Calabrese, Cape broccoli, Italian asparagus, Lu hua cai, Purple cauliflower, Sprouting broccoli

References (37)

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