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Useful Temperate Plants

Brassica rapa parachinensis

(L.H.Bailey) Hanelt

Brassicaceae


This species has been cultivated as a food crop for many hundreds of years and, in that time, several quite distinct forms have arisen. The nomenclature of these forms is confused, to say the least, and by no means universally accepted. We have followed the treatment used by GRIN, though it is very likely to be revised in the future[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

+ Synonyms

Brassica campestris parachinensis (L.H.Bailey) Makino

Brassica chinensis parachinensis (L.H.Bailey) Sinskaya

Brassica parachinensis L.H.Bailey

Common Name: Rosette Pak Choi

Brassica rapa parachinensis
Leaves for sale in a Chinese market
Photograph by: Anna Frodesiak
Creative Commons Zero, Public Domain Dedication
Brassica rapa parachinensis Brassica rapa parachinensis

General Information

Rosette pak choi is an annual to biennial plant developed in cultivation from Brassica rapa. Growing from a non-fleshy taproot, it forms a rosette of leaves up to 20cm tall from which eventually arises a flowering stem up to 5cm tall.
Rosette pak choi is widely cultivated in China for its edible leaves[
206
Title
Oriental Vegetables
Publication
 
Author
Larkcom J.
Publisher
John Murray
Year
1991
ISBN
0-7195-4781-4
Description
Well written and very informative.
].

Known Hazards

The oil contained in the seed of some varieties of this species can be rich in erucic acid which is toxic. However, modern cultivars have been selected which are almost free of erucic acid.

Botanical References


Range

A cultivar of garden origin

Habitat

Not known in the wild.

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *  *  *
HabitBiennial
Height0.15 m
PollinatorsBees, Self
Self-fertileYes
Cultivation StatusCultivated

Cultivation Details

Rosette pak choi has been developed in cultivation in the temperate zone of China. It can be grown as an annual from the temperate zone to the tropics and can also be grown in the cold season in the temperate zone, where it can tolerate temperatures down to around -10°c and can even be harvested from under the snow[
206
Title
Oriental Vegetables
Publication
 
Author
Larkcom J.
Publisher
John Murray
Year
1991
ISBN
0-7195-4781-4
Description
Well written and very informative.
]. The plants are less likely to stand up to prolonged winter wet[
206
Title
Oriental Vegetables
Publication
 
Author
Larkcom J.
Publisher
John Murray
Year
1991
ISBN
0-7195-4781-4
Description
Well written and very informative.
]. The prostrate forms are hardier than semi-prostrate forms[
206
Title
Oriental Vegetables
Publication
 
Author
Larkcom J.
Publisher
John Murray
Year
1991
ISBN
0-7195-4781-4
Description
Well written and very informative.
].
Succeeds in full sun in a well-drained fertile preferably alkaline soil[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Prefers a pH of 5.5 to 7[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Prefers a cool moist reasonably fertile soil[
52
Title
Salads all the Year Round.
Publication
 
Author
Larkcom. J.
Publisher
Hamlyn
Year
1980
ISBN
 
Description
A good and comprehensive guide to temperate salad plants, with full organic details of cultivation.
]. 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[
206
Title
Oriental Vegetables
Publication
 
Author
Larkcom J.
Publisher
John Murray
Year
1991
ISBN
0-7195-4781-4
Description
Well written and very informative.
].
There are several named varieties[
206
Title
Oriental Vegetables
Publication
 
Author
Larkcom J.
Publisher
John Murray
Year
1991
ISBN
0-7195-4781-4
Description
Well written and very informative.
].
It is slower-growing than standard Pak choi, Brassica rapa chinensis[
206
Title
Oriental Vegetables
Publication
 
Author
Larkcom J.
Publisher
John Murray
Year
1991
ISBN
0-7195-4781-4
Description
Well written and very informative.
].

Edible Uses

Leaves - raw or cooked[
206
Title
Oriental Vegetables
Publication
 
Author
Larkcom J.
Publisher
John Murray
Year
1991
ISBN
0-7195-4781-4
Description
Well written and very informative.
]. They can be eaten at any stage from seedling to mature plant[
206
Title
Oriental Vegetables
Publication
 
Author
Larkcom J.
Publisher
John Murray
Year
1991
ISBN
0-7195-4781-4
Description
Well written and very informative.
]. The leaves are tougher and stronger flavoured than standard Pak choi[
206
Title
Oriental Vegetables
Publication
 
Author
Larkcom J.
Publisher
John Murray
Year
1991
ISBN
0-7195-4781-4
Description
Well written and very informative.
]. The flavour is enhanced after a touch of frost[
206
Title
Oriental Vegetables
Publication
 
Author
Larkcom J.
Publisher
John Murray
Year
1991
ISBN
0-7195-4781-4
Description
Well written and very informative.
]. The leaves are said to be very nutritious, with up to twice the mineral content of Pak choi[
206
Title
Oriental Vegetables
Publication
 
Author
Larkcom J.
Publisher
John Murray
Year
1991
ISBN
0-7195-4781-4
Description
Well written and very informative.
].

Immature flowering stems - cooked like broccoli[
206
Title
Oriental Vegetables
Publication
 
Author
Larkcom J.
Publisher
John Murray
Year
1991
ISBN
0-7195-4781-4
Description
Well written and very informative.
]. A sweet flavour[
206
Title
Oriental Vegetables
Publication
 
Author
Larkcom J.
Publisher
John Murray
Year
1991
ISBN
0-7195-4781-4
Description
Well written and very informative.
].

An edible oil is obtained from the seed.

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow in situ mid summer. Spring sown crops are prone to run quickly to seed if there is a spell of cold weather[
206
Title
Oriental Vegetables
Publication
 
Author
Larkcom J.
Publisher
John Murray
Year
1991
ISBN
0-7195-4781-4
Description
Well written and very informative.
]. Some varieties can also be sown in a cold greenhouse in autumn or early spring to provide leaves overwinter and in late spring.
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Brassica+rapa+parachinensis>

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