Kohl rabi
Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes

Family: Brassicaceae

What it is like

A cabbage family plant with a swollen bulb above the ground. This can be green or purple. It is round with a tapering root. It can be 8-11 cm long by 10-12 cm wide. Leaves come off around the side of this bulb. They have stalks. The leaves are 20-28 cm long by 14-16 cm wide. They are dark green. The edges of the leaves are wavy. The flowers are yellow.

There are about 30 Brassica species and many cultivated varieties.

Where it is found

It is a warm temperate plant. It does best in the highlands in the tropics but is reasonably tolerant of heat and drought. It can be grown from sea level to 2600 m altitude. It is frost tolerant. It suits hardiness zones 8-11.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Austria, Balkans, Bangladesh, Britain, Bulgaria, Canada, Caucasus, China, Cook Islands, Cuba, Europe, Fiji, Georgia, Germany, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Italy, Japan, Kiribati, Korea, Macedonia, Mediterranean, Myanmar, Nepal, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, Sikkim, Slovenia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tasmania, Thailand, USA, Vanuatu, Vietnam, West Indies

How it is used for food

The bulb is mostly cooked and eaten. It can be added to soups. It can be lightly simmered in coconut milk with spices. It can be eaten raw. The young leaves are edible. The leaves are used for sarma in Turkey. They are rolled around a filling of rice or minced meat. It is best eaten when young before needing to be peeled and this preserves the flavour.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. In Papua New Guinea it is not commonly grown and is mainly by or for sale to Europeans.

Edible parts

Stem tuber, root, leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

They are grown from imported seed. The seed can be sown direct or in a nursery and transplanted.

Its other names

Local names

Cabbage turnip, Chou chinh gom larn, Colinabo, Gyanth kobi, Kabu, Kalam pom, Kha-lay-oo, Knol kohl, Kolerabica, Loorabi, No-ko-hdi, No-ko-oo, Sorta,, Turnip kale

Synonyms

Brassica caulorapa (DC.) Pasquale; Brassica oleracea var. caulorapa DC.;