Modern Diet Series

The First Cabbage Humans Bred

Bok choy originates from China.

Photo by Jodie Morgan on Unsplash

History

Bok choy belongs to the cabbage family. Being from Asia, Linnaeus classified it as a unique genus. The name bok choy (白菜) means “white vegetable” in Cantonese. Many believe it to be the oldest cabbage variety since the 5th century.

Ancestral humans bred modern Brassicas from wild mustards. This includes delicious morsels like Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and broccoli. Chinese immigrants brought bok choy to the USA during the 19th-century gold rush.

Find dozens of varieties throughout China and adjacent nations. This white vegetable traveled to Korea in 1300 where kimchi was born. The most common variety found in the US is Shanghai bok choy. This milder, sweeter option suits the American palette.

Details

Scientific name: Brassica rapa chinensis
Zones: Zones 2–11
Difficulty: Easy
Flavor: Peppery, spinach, sweet, water chestnuts
Uses: Food
Nutrition: Vitamins A, C, & K
Origin: China
Related: Brassicas
Companions: Beets, bush beans, carrots, celery, chamomile, cucumber, dill, garlic, mint, nasturtiums, onions, potatoes, rosemary
Avoid near: Arugula, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, radish, turnip
Pests: Aphids, cabbage maggots, cutworms, flea beetles, leafminers, seedcorn maggots, slugs, tarnished plant bugs
Pollinators: Bees
Varieties: Regular & Shanghai

Photo by Angela Roma via Pexels

Growth & Harvest

Bok choy is a cool-season crop harvested in the Fall and Spring. Its popularity grows in places like northern Europe due to its hardiness. While it prefers full sun, it will tolerate as little as 3–5 hours per day.

Plant these babies where they have shade in the afternoon if you live in a warm climate. Plant corn or potatoes in your sunniest spots instead. They like a pH-neutral, rich soil. Amending the ground with compost helps to increase the loam.

Start this brassica from seed a month and a half before your last frost. For a fall crop, sow them 50 days before your area’s last frost. Plant every two weeks for a steady supply.

Recipe: Easy Bok Choy Kimchi

Image by DONGWON LEE from Pixabay

Ingredients: 3 bulbs bok choy, 2 oz spinach, tbsp ground sesame seeds, 2 tbsp pepper flakes, 2 tbsp vinegar, 1.5 tbsp sugar, 2 tsp sesame oil, 2 tsp fish/soy sauce, 2 minced garlic cloves

Directions:

1. Grind sesame seeds.
2. Cut off stems. Separate leaves.
3. Rinse and dry.
4. Mix all ingredients gently in a bowl.
5. Serve immediately.

By JMHeatherly