CHINESE CABBAGE AND BOK CHOY Science Page

DID YOU KNOW? THE CHINESE CABBAGE AND

.usbg.gov Turnips, Chinese cabbage, and turnip BOK CHOY PLANTS w bok choy are all the same plant Chinese cabbage leaves are in a “head” and

ww bok choy leaves are loosely joined together. species. Around the Chinese cabbage leaves are Mediterranean, crinkly, and have thick, white ancient farmers saved veins. The outside leaves are seeds from the plants green. with the largest roots. The They wanted plants inside MEDITERRANEAN SEA with large roots that leaves could be stored for The heads of Chinese are winter. In ancient cabbage can have green or China, farmers saved UNITEDSTATES BOTANIC GARDEN

different shapes. yellow. seeds from the plants with the fleshiest CHINA stems and leaves. Chinese cabbage After hundreds of years of selecting seeds, the species bok choy

evolved into the turnip in the Chinese bok choy Bok choy has Mediterranean and cabbage smooth, glossy Chinese cabbage and green leaves and bok choy in China. white stalks.

CLASSIFYING CHINESE CABBAGE AND GROWING AND HARVESTING CHINESE BOK CHOY CABBAGE AND BOK CHOY

FAMILY field mustard These plants do best when the weather is turnip Cruciferae or bok choy cool and the days are short. If days are long Brassicaceae broccoli or temperatures too hot or too cold, then (mustard family) cauliflower flowers form instead of leaves. In areas with cold winters and hot summers, plant in the There are about late summer and fall. In areas with cool or 3,000 species of herbs, shrubs, and warm winters, plant in winter. trees in this family. cabbage Chinese cabbage It’s fall, so I can finally plant my bok choy. I’m going to grow some from seeds and GENUS some from transplants. Brassica In Latin, this means “like cabbage.” These plants like a rich, moist, loamy soil.

SPECIES rapa There are many varieties of this species, including: Harvest before seed stalks form. Cut close to the ground.

USES

The leaves of bok choy and Chinese cabbage are crisp and have a mild

flavor. They can be

used in salads, turnip bok choy Chinese cabbage B. rapa B. rapa variety B. rapa stir-fries, and variety rapa chinensis variety pekinensis soups. UNITED STATES BOTANIC GARDEN www.usbg.gov

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