Practical
Plants

Brassica rapa pekinensis

Chinese Cabbage

an annual member of the Brassica genus in the family Brassicaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
annual
Height
0.45 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves - raw or cooked[2][5][7]. A crisp, watery texture with a naturally sweet taste, it is best eaten raw in salads[2][9]. The plant can be eaten as a young seedling, or left to grow into a mature plant[9]. The flavour is quickly ruined by prolonged cooking[9]. Leaves can also be dried for winter use[9]. The heads of mature plants can be 50cm long and weigh up to 4.5 kg[8][9]. Fresh leaves do not store well and are best used within a day or two of harvesting[9]. A nutritional analysis is available[10]. Flowering shoots - raw or cooked[9]. Sweet and tender[3].

Plant part
Flowers
Plant part
Leaves

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves are depurative[10].

Product or use
Depurative

Environment

Range
A cultivar of garden origin.
Habitat
Not known in the wild, it is possibly a cross between B. campestris rapa (the turnip) and B. napus chinensis (Pak-choi)[9].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
very acid, 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 - it can be sown from late May to September in situ[9]. The spring sown crops often run to seed very quickly but 'barrel' types can be sown at this time. If seedlings are germinated at a temperature of 18 - 20°c and then grown on at this temperature for their first few weeks, they are then less likely to bolt[9]. Seed usually germinates within 3 - 4 days[9]. A late summer sowing under protection can provide leaves in the winter[9]. Seedlings can be transplanted when about 3 - 4 weeks old[9].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in a well-drained fertile preferably alkaline soil[4][12][8]. Succeeds in acid and alkaline soils[6][8]. Prefers a pH in the range 6.5 to 7[9]. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.3 to 6.8. Prefers a heavy soil[4] and grows badly in sandy ones[8]. Prefers full sun[8][9] and a sheltered position[9]. Likes some shade[4]. Drought resistant according to one report[5], whilst another says that the plants are shallow-rooted and have very little resistance to drought[9]. They require about 5 gallons of water from sowing to maturity[9]. Plants are not fully winter hardy in Britain, though mature plants withstand light frosts to about -3°c[5][9]. Plants prefer coolish weather during their growing season, a temperature range of 13 - 20°c is ideal[9]. The Chinese cabbage is widely cultivated, especially in China and Japan, for its edible leaves[13]. It looks like a large cos lettuce or cabbage and has a crisp, watery texture with a mustard-like taste[11]. There are many named varieties[13][9]. Those forms with loose heads were developed for areas with hotter summers, whilst compact-headed forms were developed for cooler areas[9]. The loose-headed forms are less prone to bolt, are more resistant to cold and are more disease-resistant[9]. An annual to biennial species, it is normally grown as an annual[9]. Plants take from 55 - 100 days from sowing to maturity, depending on variety, the loose-headed forms are usually 2 - 3 weeks faster than compact-headed forms[9]. Plants do not like root disturbance so should not be transplanted unless grown in individual pots[9]. Plants are highly resistant to fungus attacks and the cabbage moth[5], they are also slow to bolt in hot weather[5]. Some cultivars are more resistant to bolting when sown in spring than other forms[9]. There is some evidence that interplanting this species with dill and garlic can lessen the attacks of caterpillars[9]. A good bee plant[1].

References

  1. International Bee Research Association. Garden Plants Valuable to Bees. International Bee Research Association. 1981-00-00

    ↩

  2. Brooklyn Botanic Garden Oriental Herbs and Vegetables, Vol 39 No. 2. Brooklyn Botanic Garden 1986-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 1. Thompson and Morgan. 1987-00-00

    ↩

  4. Simons. New Vegetable Growers Handbook. Penguin 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-050-0

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Natural Food Institute, Wonder Crops. 1987.

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  6. Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent 1990-00-00

    ↩

  7. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

    ↩

  8. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  9. Larkcom J. Oriental Vegetables John Murray 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-4781-4

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10↩11↩12↩13↩14↩15↩16↩17↩18↩19↩20↩21↩22↩23↩24↩25↩26↩27↩28

  10. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩1↩2

  11. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Vegetables Macmillan Reference Books, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0 333 62640 0

    ↩

  12. Larkcom. J. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn 1980-00-00

    ↩

  13. RHS. The Garden. Volume 112. Royal Horticultural Society 1987-00-00

    ↩1↩2

Edit this page