Broccoli
Brassica oleracea var. italica
Botanical family: Brassicaceae
Brassica oleracea var. italica, a cultivated form of cabbage selected for its fleshy flowering shoots. Sprouting broccoli, very hardy, gives repeated harvests for nearly two months; calabrese, less hardy, forms a single large head. Sources: Plants For A Future, “Brassica oleracea italica”; RHS, “How to grow broccoli”.
Full sun
Rich, cool, deep (a heavy feeder on nitrogen)
Regular and abundant, soil never parched
Fairly hardy (winter broccoli withstands cold; large-headed calabrese is more cold-sensitive)
Protect over winter in your zone
Role in permaculture
A cabbage grown for its green inflorescences harvested before flowering; after the main head, it puts out side shoots that extend the harvest by several weeks. Left to flower, it becomes very nectar-bearing. Like all cabbages, greedy and sensitive to the common pests of the Brassicaceae: to be kept with the other cabbages in a long rotation.
Good companions
Attract pollinators and beneficial insects
Trap plants (variable effect, need watching)
Traditional companion planting (benefit not demonstrated)
Poor companions
Same family: shared diseases and pests
Traditional avoidance (antagonism not demonstrated)
Known pests & diseases
Pests and diseases that commonly affect this plant, tap to learn how to recognise and manage them.
Seasons & availability
Cut from summer into autumn; winter varieties also crop as winter ends.
Available: July, August, September, October, November.
Guidance for the oceanic / temperate climate; it may vary with your region, altitude, exposure and growing method.
Sources
- RHS, « How to Grow Broccoli » (rhs.org.uk/vegetables/broccoli/grow-your-own)
- La Ferme de Sainte Marthe, « Réussir la culture du chou brocoli » (fermedesaintemarthe.com/en/blogs/comment-reussir-la-culture-de/reussir-la-culture-du-chou-brocoli)
- Garden Organic, « Calabrese » (gardenorganic.org.uk/expert-advice/how-to-grow/growing-guides/vegetables-herbs-guides/how-to-grow-calabrese)
Nutritional & medicinal properties
For educational purposes. Not a substitute for medical advice. Effects depend on the form, the dose and personal context.
Precautions & contraindications
Like all cabbages, a goitrogenic effect exists only at a very high raw dose and in case of severe iodine deficiency (an extremely rare case).
Family behaviour: Brassicaceae
In general, Brassicaceae produce glucosinolates, sulphur compounds with a mild biocidal effect on the soil (a biofumigant effect, sometimes sought between two sensitive crops). Members of the cabbage and mustard family, they are prone to the cabbage white and clubroot.
Understanding families means learning one rule per family rather than every pairing one by one. Learn more →
Species & varieties
The best-known species and varieties in France.
Species
Common varieties
Key takeaways
- • Prefers full sun exposure.
- • Ideal soil: rich, cool, deep (a heavy feeder on nitrogen).
- • Classic companion: Nasturtium.
- • Keep away from: Strawberry.