Brassica rapa parachinensis
False Pak Choi
a biennial member of the Brassica genus in the family Brassicaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Brassicaceae
- Genus
- Brassica
- Life cycle
- biennial
- Height
- 0.25 m
- Fertility
- self fertile
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Bees, Self
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Leaves - raw or cooked[2]. They can be eaten at any stage from seedling to mature plant[2]. The leaves are tougher and stronger flavoured than standard Pak choi[2]. The flavour is enhanced after a touch of frost[2]. The leaves are said to be very nutritious, with up to twice the mineral content of Pak choi[2]. Immature flowering stems - cooked like broccoli[2]. A sweet flavour[2]. An edible oil is obtained from the seed.
- Plant part
- Flowers
- Plant part
- Leaves
Environment
- Range
- A cultivar of garden origin.
- Habitat
- Not known in the wild.
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 7+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - sow in situ July/August. Spring sown crops are prone to run quickly to seed if there is a spell of cold weather[2]. Some varieties can also be sown in a cold greenhouse in autumn or early spring to provide leaves overwinter and in late spring.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Succeeds in full sun in a well-drained fertile preferably alkaline soil[1]. Prefers a pH of 5.5 to 7[1]. Prefers a cool moist reasonably fertile soil[3]. The plant is shallow rooted and intolerant of drought, it responds well to a moist fertile soil but succeeds in poorer soils than standard Pak choi[2]. Hardy to about -10°c, the plants stand up well to snow but are less likely to stand up to prolonged winter wet[2]. The prostrate forms are hardier than semi-prostrate forms[2]. The rosette pak choi is widely cultivated in China for its edible leaves, there are several named varieties[2]. It is slower-growing than standard Pak choi, B. rapa chinensis[2].
References
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Larkcom J. Oriental Vegetables John Murray 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-4781-4
Larkcom. J. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn 1980-00-00