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Brassica rapa chinensis - (L.)Hanelt.

Common Name Pak Choi
Family Brassicaceae or Cruciferae
USDA hardiness 6-9
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Not known in the wild.
Range A cultivar of garden origin.
Edibility Rating    (4 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (1 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Brassica rapa chinensis Pak Choi


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brassica_rapa_var._chinensis_(leaf).jpg
Brassica rapa chinensis Pak Choi
http://www.hear.org/starr/

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
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.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

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

Plant Habitats

 Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves  Oil  Stem
Edible Uses: Oil

Leaves - raw or cooked[46, 52, 61, 116]. They can be eaten at any stage from seedling to mature plant[206]. Well-flavoured, they are sweet with a hint of mustard[206].The leaves are also dried for winter use[206]. The leaves have pronounced stems and these can also be eaten, they tend to have a mild, almost bland flavour[206]. A nutritional analysis is available[218]. Immature flowering stems - cooked like broccoli[206]. A sweet flavour[206]. An edible oil is obtained from the seed.

References   More on Edible Uses

Composition
Figures in grams (g) or miligrams (mg) per 100g of food.
Leaves (Dry weight)
  • 350 Calories per 100g
  • Water : 0%
  • Protein: 0g; Fat: 0g; Carbohydrate: 25g; Fibre: 14g; Ash: 12g;
  • Minerals - Calcium: 1700mg; Phosphorus: 500mg; Iron: 28mg; Magnesium: 0mg; Sodium: 420mg; Potassium: 5100mg; Zinc: 0mg;
  • Vitamins - A: 25000mg; Thiamine (B1): 0.6mg; Riboflavin (B2): 1.3mg; Niacin: 42mg; B6: 0mg; C: 700mg;
  • Reference: [ 218]
  • Notes: The figures given here are median figures from a fairly wide range that was given in the report.

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antirheumatic  Antiscorbutic  Resolvent

The leaf is antiarthritic, antiscorbutic and resolvent[218].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Oil

None known

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in full sun in a well-drained fertile preferably alkaline soil[200]. Prefers a pH of 5.5 to 7[200]. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.3 to 7.5. Prefers a cool moist reasonably fertile soil[52]. The plant is shallow rooted and intolerant of drought, it needs to be grown in a moist fertile soil for the best quality leaves[206]. Plants are not tremendously cold-hardy, though they will withstand light frosts[133]. 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[88, 206, 264]. Forms with green stems tend to stand up better to adverse conditions than white-stemmed forms[206].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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Plant Propagation

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[206]. Some varieties can also be sown in a cold greenhouse in autumn or early spring to provide leaves overwinter and in late spring.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

(Brassica rapa) Albania, Algeria, Bulgaria, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kriti, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Morocco, North Caucasus, Oman, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Turkey, Yugoslavia.

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

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Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

(L.)Hanelt.

Botanical References

200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

   Sun Dec 2 2007

Pak Choi is considered a hybrid between amzazingly the radish (hint the leaves shapes apear to be similar to radish leaves) and cabbage

Monk Vege   Wed Jul 9 2008

Vegetable Fresh anf Green along the Day Various vagetable, fruite and herbs found in Bali

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Subject : Brassica rapa chinensis  
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