Bok-choy Celery cabbage
Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis

Family: Brassicaceae

What it is like

A leafy cabbage grown as an annual. It grows 40-60 cm high. The taproot is not fleshy. The stem is short. The leaves are arranged in spirals. They are simple and broadly oval. They can be 30 cm long by 10 cm wide. The leaves form a rosette. They do not form a head. The leaf stalk is thickened. It forms a half cylinder in cross section and does not have wings. The leaf blade is entire and can have a wavy edge. Flowers are small and yellow with 4 petals. The fruit is a pod 3.5 cm long. The seeds are black and 2 mm long. Several different kinds occur.

There are about 30 Brassica species and many cultivated varieties.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. More common in lowland areas but will grow in the highlands. It suits cool seasons but will not tolerate frost. In Papua New Guinea it grows between sea level and 2,300 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Bougainville, Canada, China, Congo DR, Cook Islands, Cuba, East Africa, Fiji, FSM, Guam, Hawaii, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Nauru, Nigeria, North America, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pohnpei, Rotuma, Samoa, SE Asia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Tasmania, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, USA, Vanuatu, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, West Timor

How it is used for food

The leaves are cooked and eaten. The stems are cooked and served with oyster sauce.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. They are common and popular in lowland areas of Papua New Guinea.

Edible parts

Leaves, stem, flowers, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed and often transplanted. A spacing of 40 cm x 40 cm is suitable. Seeds are sown direct. They are sown 1 cm deep. They germinate in about 7 days with soil temperature of 21°C. Plants are thinned to about 20 cm between plants.

The whole plant is harvested after 2-3 months.

Its other names

Local names

Broad-beak mustard, Caisin, Celery mustard, Chinese cabbage, Chinese mustard, Chinese savoy, Chinese white cabbage, Choi sum, False pak-choi, Flat cabbage, Flowering white cabbage, Kisaragina, Mock pak-choi, Mustard cabbage, Pak choy, Ramirebaka, Ramiriba, Taatsai, Tah Tsai, Te kabiti n Tiaina, Tsoi sum, Yow choy

Synonyms

Brassica chinensis Linnaeus; Brassica antiquorum H. Léveillé; Brassica campestris Linnaeus subsp. chinensis (Linnaeus) Makino; Brassica campestris subsp. chinensis var. amplexicaulis (Tanaka & Ono) Makino; Brassica campestris subsp. narinosa (L. H. Bailey) G. Olsson; Brassica campestris var. chinensis (Linnaeus) T. Itô; Brassica campestris var. narinosa (L. H. Bailey) Kitamura; Brassica campestris var. parachinensis (L. H. Bailey) Makino; Brassica chinensis var. communis M. Tsen & S. H. Lee; Brassica chinensis var. parachinensis (L. H. Bailey) Sinskaya; Brassica chinensis var. rosularis M. Tsen & S. H. Lee; Brassica napus Linnaeus var. chinensis (Linnaeus) O. E. Schulz; Brassica narinosa L. H. Bailey; Brassica oleracea var. tsiekentsiensis H. Léveillé; Brassica para-chinensis L. H. Bailey; Brassica oleracea Linnaeus var. chinensis (Linnaeus) Prain; Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis (Linnaeus) Hanelt; Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis var. parachinensis (L. H. Bailey) Hanelt; Brassica rapa subsp. narinosa (L. H. Bailey) Hanelt; Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis var. rosularis (M. Tsen & S. H. Lee) Hanelt; Brassica rapa var. amplexicaulis Tanaka & Ono; Raphanus chinensis (Linnaeus) Crantz (1769), not Miller (1768);