Is broccoli a perennial? — ediblegardens52

Mar 16

Mar 16 Is broccoli a perennial?

Before addressing this question, some background information on broccoli.

Broccoli, botanically classified as Brassica oleracea var. Italica, is an ancient, cool-season annual belonging to the Brassicaceae or cabbage family. The large, compact heads grow on upright, fibrous stalks that can reach up to 90 centimeters (3 feet) in height and are highly favored for their edible florets, stem, and leaves. The name broccoli is derived from the Italian word broccolo, which roughly translates to mean “the flowering crest of a cabbage.” (Specialty Produce)

Broccoli descended from wild cabbages native to the Mediterranean coast. It has been a popular vegetable in Italy since the Roman Empire. Though Thomas Jefferson grew it in his Monticello garden, it was not produced commercially in the United States until the 1920’s.

Back to my original query. I’ve wondered if broccoli is a perennial under temperate conditions. When I think of perennial flowers I’ve had, there’s often a new plant that grows from the base as the old plant declines and eventually is removed.

This new broccoli offshoot emerges from the base of the ‘Premium Crop’ broccoli plant nestled in the ground last October. The mother plant produced a large central head but no side shoots. The sturdy stem of the original plant is at the right of the photo.

Other years when I’ve uprooted my broccoli plants at the end of their run, this is what I’ve observed. This also suggests the proclivity to perennialize.

Other times, I’ve found something like this when I clear the bed.

This is a new broccoli plant, emerged like a perennial, but removed with the other broccoli in late April. It went to the compost bin. Broccoli is a winter crop here in Southern California, preferring cool conditions for the production of large crowns. In warm weather, aphids often overtake my brassicas.

So I remove these broccoli upstarts when I clear the other plants for summer crops. I have only 120 square feet of raised bed real estate and haven’t devoted a section for the “perennial broccoli” experiment. When I’ve attempted a second spring crop of broccoli by transplant, the plants “button,” forming a small, premature head so it might be a futile endeavor.

Since my other broccoli plants are still producing side shoots, I’ll leave my broccoli offshoot and see what happens over the next few weeks. (See thumbnail above).