Did you know that there are many different types of broccoli? You probably see veggies at your local grocery store or farmer’s market that look vaguely like broccoli but are leafier, skinnier, bright green, blue-green, or even look like fractals. Such variation in size and appearance also means variable growing times, leading to months of broccoli bliss. All of these broccoli varieties and broccoli hybrids are part of the Brassica oleracea species, which also includes cabbage, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, collard greens, and others. If you’re as wild about cruciferous vegetables as I am, read on about the different types of broccoli and their unique qualities.
Table of Contents
Calabrese Broccoli
The mountain of broccoli that you see at the grocery store is usually a variety of Calabrese broccoli, or typical broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica ). It’s named after Calabria, a region in southern Italy (think the toe and ankle of the Italy boot).Calabrese broccoli forms a large central head with tight florets, aka tiny flowers. These thick, flowering stems give typical broccoli its signature look; they look like tiny trees! If you’re interested in growing this well-known variety, it grows well in zones 3-10 and is particularly cold hardy. Most Calabrese varieties continue to produce mini-tree side shoots once you have harvested the central head, so look forward to a long harvest window.
Sprouting Broccoli
Sprouting broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) is a tall, leafy, stalky plant with individual florets instead of a central head. Slightly more bitter than typical broccoli, the leaves, stalks, and florets are all edible. When searching for varieties online, you will bump into information about broccoli sprouts, which are germinated broccoli seeds grown for a few days and then added to salads and sandwiches. Sprouts are delicious but are very different from sprouting broccoli.Sprouting broccoli is commonly planted in fall and overwintered for an early spring harvest. 6 to 8 weeks of cold temperatures (at or below 50°F/10°C ) are needed to produce florets. Overwintering might seem like a daunting commitment, but early spring harvests are so welcome after a long winter! The main types of sprouting broccoli are purple and white. Although a vivid purple when raw, purple sprouting broccoli turns green when cooked. White sprouting broccoli has white florets and a milder, sweeter taste than the purple variety. White sprouting broccoli is more common in Britain but its popularity is increasing in the U.S.
Chinese Broccoli
As its name implies, Chinese broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra) originated in China. It’s known by many other names like Chinese kale, gai lan, kailaan, and others. Chinese broccoli has very thick stems and large green leaves. It’s known to taste bitter, but soaking it in cold water before cooking reduces that quality.Its relatively short growing time, between 35 and 50 days, makes it a great vegetable for planting in spring or summer for fall harvest, or year-round in moderate climates. Stir fry gai lan with garlic, add your favorite spicy sauce, and enjoy a kick of Vitamins C, K, A, folic acid and fiber!
Broccoli Rabe (Rapini)
Broccoli rabe (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa) has some familiar features of broccoli but it’s actually part of the same subspecies as turnips. Also known as rapini, the green leaves are used in cooking much like turnip greens. Its small, spiky, broccoli-ish florets aren’t the focus. Rather, rapini’s slightly bitter leaves are featured in southern Italian cuisine.Broccoli rabe grows extremely fast. Paired with its cut-and-come-again growth, you will have an all-you-can-eat buffet of tasty greens from the beginning to the end of the season.
Broccolini
Broccolini vs broccoli rabe or baby broccoli vs Broccolini, what are the differences? While broccoli rabe is a subspecies of turnip, Broccolini (Brassica oleracea var. italica × alboglabra) is a broccoli hybrid – a cross between typical broccoli and Chinese broccoli. It is sometimes called baby broccoli, but this is only in reference to the more delicate size of its stems and florets. It has a super interesting history, which includes development over several years with hand-pollination instead of genetic engineering. The name “Broccolini” even has a trademark. A perfect combination of its parents, broccolini has long, slim stalks with small, broccoli-like florets on top. Broccolini is also known as tender stem broccoli or poor man’s asparagus. It looks a lot like broccoli rabe but tastes less bitter.
Romanesco Broccoli
Romanesco broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. Botrytis ) is a stunning bright green broccoli cousin that naturally resembles a fractal. It’s almost too beautiful to eat! It looks like a cross between cauliflower in texture and broccoli in color, so it’s no wonder it’s also known as Roman cauliflower. Between its beauty and mild flavor, Romanesco is an excellent choice for home gardens in zones 3-10. If you want to grow something unique and a great dinner conversation starter, Romanesco is for you. For the math fans out there, the number of spirals on each head of Romanesco broccoli is a Fibonacci number! To read more about Fibonacci numbers in Romanesco and in nature, check out this article.
If you feel daunted by the season-long investment needed to grow Calabrese type broccoli, this article is full of delicious alternatives. And now that you know how to spot different types of broccoli, you’ll start seeing them everywhere! Which broccoli variety are you pumped to try? Use the comments or share the article with a friend!
