Pak Choi
Brassica rapa chinensis

Family: Brassicaceae or Cruciferae

What it is like

Brassica rapa chinensis is a BIENNIAL growing to 0.9 m (3ft). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from May to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 0.9

Where it is found

Not known in the wild.

A cultivar of garden origin.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 4

Leaves - raw or cooked. They can be eaten at any stage from seedling to mature plant. Well-flavoured, they are sweet with a hint of mustard.The leaves are also dried for winter use. The leaves have pronounced stems and these can also be eaten, they tend to have a mild, almost bland flavour. A nutritional analysis is available. Immature flowering stems - cooked like broccoli. A sweet flavour. An edible oil is obtained from the seed.

Oil: Oil

Stem: this often intergrades into leaves.

Medicine

Rating: 1

The leaf is antiarthritic, antiscorbutic and resolvent.

Antirheumatic: Treats rheumatism.

Antiscorbutic: A plant rich in vitamin C that is used to counteract scurvy.

Resolvent: Breaks down tumors. This might be placed under antitumor.

Other

Rating:

Oil: Vegetable oils have many uses, as lubricants, lighting, soap and paint making, waterproofing etc. This does not include the edible oils unless they are also mentioned as having other uses.

How it is grown

Succeeds in full sun in a well-drained fertile preferably alkaline soil. Prefers a pH of 5.5 to 7. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.3 to 7.5. Prefers a cool moist reasonably fertile soil. The plant is shallow rooted and intolerant of drought, it needs to be grown in a moist fertile soil for the best quality leaves. Plants are not tremendously cold-hardy, though they will withstand light frosts. Pak choi is widely cultivated, especially in China, for its edible leaves which are produced mainly in the summer and autumn. A fast-growing plant, there are many named varieties and some can be ready in as little as five weeks from sowing the seed. Forms with green stems tend to stand up better to adverse conditions than white-stemmed forms.

Propagating it: Seed - sow in situ May to August. Spring sown crops are prone to run quickly to seed if there is a spell of cold weather. Some varieties can also be sown in a cold greenhouse in autumn or early spring to provide leaves overwinter and in late spring.

Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;

Habit: Biennial

Hardiness: 6-9

Growth:

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

B. chinensis. B. napus chinensis. (L.)Schulz. B. parachinensis.