(Brussels Sprouts)

The Brussels sprout is a cool season vegetable first cultivated in late medieval or renaissance Europe in what is now Belgium, then called Flanders. It was brought to the United States in the mid-nineteenth century and began to be heavily cultivated there in the mid-twentieth century. Typically grown as an annual, it traces its ancestry to Brassica oleracea, a fleshy-leaved, short-lived perennial from coastal areas of western and southern Europe.

Brussels sprout plants have strong...

(Kohlrabi)

Grown for its sweet, crunchy, bulbous stems, kohlrabi is one of many crops that descend from Brassica oleracea, an annual or short-lived perennial from Western Europe. It is a cool weather crop that is best grown in spring, fall or in winter where hard freezes don’t occur. The name “kohlrabi” roughly translates to "cabbage-turnip" in German; when fully mature it develops a bulbous, turnip-like base that sits on top of the soil and has leaves protruding from it. It must be harvested immediately...

(Broccoli)

One of the most familiar green vegetables, broccoli (also known as Italian or sprouting broccoli) is an excellent choice for the garden. Typically grown as an annual, this cool season vegetable traces its ancestry to Brassica oleracea, a fleshy-leaved, short-lived perennial from coastal areas of western and southern Europe. It is grown for its fleshy heads of flower buds, which are harvested and eaten before the flowers open.

Some broccoli varieties produce a large central head with...

(Bok Choy, Broccoli Raab, Chinese Cabbage, Choy Sum, Field Mustard, Pak Choi, Tatsoi, Turnip)

Field mustard, turnip, bok choy, and broccoli raab are part of the complex of different cultivated plants known as Brassica rapa. They have been grown and selected in Eurasia for thousands of years for human consumption and livestock fodder. The origin of Brassica rapa is uncertain but believed center from South and Central Europe. It is now cultivated and naturalized worldwide.

These annual or biennial, cool-season plants typically have loose basal rosettes of broad fleshy...

(Pak Choi)

Field mustard, turnip, bok choy, and broccoli raab are part of the complex of different cultivated plants known as Brassica rapa. They have been grown and selected in Eurasia for thousands of years for human consumption and livestock fodder. The origin of Brassica rapa is uncertain but believed center from South and Central Europe. It is now cultivated and naturalized worldwide.

These annual or biennial, cool-season plants typically have loose basal rosettes of broad fleshy...

(Turnip)

The delicious, sweet, mild turnips of 'Hakurei' are small, pure white and round but slightly flattened. Japanese in origin, this cultivar is very fast-growing, being ready to harvest as early as 35 to 38 days from sowing. This is a turnip for non-turnip lovers to try because its roots are so mild and sweet. The dark green tops also taste delicious cooked or eaten raw in salads.

Some classify turnips in the Rapifera group. Turnip varieties come in many shapes and sizes. The larger the root,...

(Little Jade Napa Cabbage, Napa Cabbage)

Vigorous and disease resistant, 'Little Jade' produces dense, vase-shaped, leafy "baby" Napa cabbage heads. Cabbages are ready to harvest around 60 days from planting. The leaves and stalks are crunchy and sweet and can be eaten fresh or in stir-fry.

Bearing dark to pale green leaves with prominent white midveins, brassicas in the Pekinensis group include the vegetables Napa cabbage, bok choy and celery cabbage. It is one of several groups in Brassica rapa, which is Eurasian in origin...

(Pac Choi)

A compact pak choi with broad leaves and fleshy pale green leaf stalks, 'Mei Qing Choi' is also known for its relative heat tolerance. It is one of numerous greens belonging to Brassica rapa, which is believed to have originated in central and southern Europe but is now cultivated and naturalized worldwide.

This annual or biennial, cool-season plant forms loose rosettes of upright, broad, mid-green leaves with greenish-white stalks and midribs. The thick stalk bases form an almost...

(Purple Top White Globe Turnip, Turnip)

An heirloom turnip that remains highly popular, ‘Purple Top White Globe’ is grown for its tender young greens and its tasty bulbous root. This annual or biennial is one of numerous leafy vegetables belonging to Brassica rapa, which may have originated in central and southern Europe but is now cultivated and naturalized worldwide. The white, purple-capped turnips of this variety mature about 50 days after sowing. They grow to tennis ball size but are best when young and tender. The lobed...

(Tokyo Cross Turnip, Turnip)

Winner of the All America Award, 'Tokyo Cross' is grown for its tender young greens and its tasty bulbous root. This annual or biennial is one of numerous leafy vegetables belonging to Brassica rapa, which may have originated in central and southern Europe but is now cultivated and naturalized worldwide. The pure creamy white turnips of this variety are ready for harvest about 35 days after sowing. They grow to grapefruit size but are best when young and tender. The lobed leaves are good...