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Asian Greens (Bok Choy, Tatsoi, Mizuna, Gai Lan) — Brassica rapa varieties

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Asian Greens (Bok Choy, Tatsoi, Mizuna, Gai Lan) — Brassica rapa varieties

layout: base.njk title: Asian Greens description: Growing Asian Greens in West Virginia (Zone 6b/7a) category: cool-season

Quick Reference: See detailed growing information below

Type: Annual/Biennial (grown as annual)
Family: Brassicaceae (Cruciferae)
Sun: Full sun to part shade (4-6 hours minimum, afternoon shade in warm weather)
Water: Moderate to high (1-1.5" per week, consistent moisture)
Soil pH: 6.0-7.5 (optimal 6.5-7.0)
Hardiness: Zones 2-11 (cold hardy variety-dependent, many can overwinter)

🌱 Expected Yield

  • Per plant: Baby greens: 2-4 oz. Full size: 0.5-2 lbs depending on variety.
  • Per 10' row: 10-25 lbs (depends on variety and harvest style).
  • Per season: With succession planting: 30-60 lbs per 10' row annually.

🏺 Heirloom Varieties (5-10+)

Bok Choy (Pak Choi, Chinese Cabbage)

'Joi Choi'

  • Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds (johnnyseeds.com), Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (rareseeds.com)
  • Days: 45 days
  • Notes: Hybrid, F1. Large, white stems, dark green leaves. Slow bolting. Sweet, mild flavor. Excellent for stir-fry, soup. Heat tolerant for bok choy. All-America Selections winner. Reliable.

'Black Summer'

  • Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds, Baker Creek
  • Days: 48 days
  • Notes: Hybrid, F1. Dark green leaves, white stems. Heat tolerant. Slow bolting. Sweet, tender. Good for summer harvest. Uniform. Popular with market growers.

'Shanghae'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds
  • Days: 45 days
  • Notes: Traditional green bok choy. Spoon-shaped green leaves, white stems. Sweet, mild. Cold tolerant. Classic for Chinese cuisine. Reliable producer.

'Red Choi'

  • Source: Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds
  • Days: 50 days
  • Notes: Hybrid. Purple-red stems and veins, green leaves. Beautiful color. Mild, sweet. Heat tolerant. Adds color to stir-fries. Slower bolting.

Tatsoi (Rosette Bok Choy, Flat Cabbage)

'Tatsoi'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (southernexposure.com)
  • Days: 45 days
  • Notes: Heirloom. Dark green, spoon-shaped leaves in rosette pattern. Extremely cold hardy (to 10-15°F, can overwinter). Sweet, mild, mustard-like flavor. Excellent raw or cooked. Beautiful appearance.

'Tatsoi Broadleaf'

  • Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds, Baker Creek
  • Days: 40 days
  • Notes: Larger leaves than standard tatsoi. Same cold hardiness. Sweet, tender. Good for baby leaf production. Fast growing.

Mizuna (Japanese Mustard Greens)

'Mizuna'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds
  • Days: 40 days
  • Notes: Japanese heirloom. Feathery, serrated leaves. Mild, peppery flavor (less sharp than mustard). Cold hardy (to 10-20°F). Excellent for salads, stir-fry. Self-sows readily. Beautiful texture.

'Red Mizuna'

  • Source: Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds
  • Days: 45 days
  • Notes: Purple-red leaves, especially in cool weather. Same feathery texture. Mild, peppery. Cold hardy. Beautiful ornamental value. Adds color to salads.

Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli, Kai-lan)

'Green Lance'

  • Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds, Baker Creek
  • Days: 50 days
  • Notes: Hybrid, F1. Large blue-green leaves, thick stems, small broccoli-like flower heads. Sweet, mild, broccoli-like flavor. Harvest stems, leaves, and flower heads. Cold tolerant. Excellent for stir-fry.

'Chinese Broccoli'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Southern Exposure
  • Days: 55 days
  • Notes: Traditional variety. Large leaves, stout stems, white flowers. Sweet, crisp stems. Mild broccoli flavor. Cold tolerant. Traditional for Cantonese cuisine.

Additional Asian Greens

'Komatsuna' (Japanese Mustard Spinach)

  • Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds, Baker Creek, Seed Savers Exchange
  • Days: 45 days
  • Notes: Japanese heirloom. Dark green, oval leaves. Mild, spinach-like flavor with slight mustard bite. Cold hardy. Cut-and-come-again. Excellent for salads, cooking.

'Choy Sum' (Flowering Cabbage)

  • Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds, Baker Creek
  • Days: 40 days
  • Notes: Yellow flowers, tender stems, green leaves. Harvest entire plant when flowering. Sweet, mild. Excellent for stir-fry. Fast growing. Heat tolerant.

'Napa Cabbage' (Chinese Cabbage)

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds
  • Days: 55 days
  • Notes: Large, elongated heads (12-18"). Pale green, crinkled leaves. Sweet, mild. Essential for kimchi, stir-fry. Cold tolerant. Needs consistent moisture. Fall crop best.

🌾 Seed Saving

  • Method: Asian greens are biennial (Brassica rapa)—require vernalization (cold period) to flower. For seed saving, select best plants, leave in ground over winter (mulch heavily in zone 6b/7a—many varieties cold hardy enough) or dig and store in cool, humid place, replant in spring. In spring, plants send up 3-5' branched flower stalks with clusters of yellow, four-petaled flowers.

Flowers are insect-pollinated (bees, flies). Seed pods (siliques) mature 4-6 weeks after flowering, turning from green to tan/brown. Cut stalks when most pods brown but before shattering.

Hang in paper bags in dry, ventilated area 2-3 weeks. Thresh by beating bags or rolling stalks. Winnow by pouring between bowls in breeze to separate seeds from chaff. - Isolation distance: 800 feet to 1 mile minimum.

Asian greens cross-pollinate readily with other Brassica rapa varieties (turnips, Chinese cabbage, pak choi, broccoli raab, mustard greens—all same species). For pure seed, grow only one B. rapa variety or cage isolated plants with netting and hand-pollinate. - Viability: 4-5 years when stored in cool, dry, dark conditions in airtight containers.

Medium-sized seeds store well. - Special notes: Save seed from minimum 5-10 plants to maintain genetic diversity. Select for flavor, bolt resistance, cold hardiness, disease resistance. In zone 6b/7a, many Asian greens overwinter with mulch (tatsoi, mizuna especially hardy).

Biennial requirement means seed saving requires two full seasons. Asian greens cross readily with turnips, other B. rapa crops—if growing multiple varieties, isolate or cage.

Many Asian greens self-sow readily (mizuna, tatsoi)—volunteers appear next season. This makes seed saving unnecessary for home growers. Let some plants flower, collect seed or let nature reseed.

For specific variety preservation, save seed intentionally..

Added to WV Planting Guide 26155 — The Loop Farmstead