Menu list goes here

Herbal Database Search Results

Back to: Pathways Main Search Page For Metaphysical uses visit The Witchs Haven

Brassica oleracea botrytis aparagoides

Common name:	Nine Star Perennial Broccoli	Family:	Cruciferae
Author:	DC.	Botanical references:
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	A cultivated form of B. oleracea.
Habitat:	Not known in the wild.
Edibility Rating (1-5):	4	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	oleracea = vegetable like
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Capparales. Renamed to Brassicaceae -- Mustard family

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 0.75m. It is not frost tender. It is in flower from May to August, and the seeds ripen from July to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile. We rate it 4/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Cultivated Beds, Sunny Edge.

Edible Uses

Flowers Leaves.

Immature flowering head - raw or cooked[K]. The plant forms a small cauliflower head in early spring. When this is harvested, another 6 - 12 smaller cauliflowers are produced on sideshoots[K]. The plants are not highly productive, but they are well-flavoured and make an excellent vegetable[K].
Leaves - raw or cooked. They have a mild cabbage flavour and can be harvested all year round, though be careful not to weaken the plant and thereby reduce the yield of flowering heads[K].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

Fungicide.

An extract of the seeds inactivates the bacteria that causes black rot[201].

Cultivation details

Prefers a position in full sun in a well-drained fertile preferably alkaline soil[200]. Prefers a heavy soil. Succeeds in any reasonable soil. Succeeds in maritime gardens[200].
Nine star perennial broccoli is occasionally grown for its immature flower head, this is a perennial form of cauliflower that produces one small central cauliflower-like head and a number of smaller broccoli-like spears in early spring. Plants do not often live for more than 3 - 5 years.
Grows well with celery and other aromatic plants since these seem to deter insect predations[18, 20, 201]. Grows badly with beet, tomatoes, onions and strawberries[20, 201].

Propagation

Seed - sow in a seedbed outdoors in April. Transplant into their permanent positions as soon as the plants are large enough and there is space in the garden. Do not let the seedlings get overcrowded or they will soon become leggy and will not make such good plants. If your seedlings do get leggy, it is possible to plant them rather deeper into the soil - the buried stems will soon form roots and the plant will be better supported.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[18] Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979
Details of beneficial and antagonistic relationships between neighbouring plants.

[20] Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978 ISBN 0-88266-064-0
Fairly good.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2
A well produced and very readable book.

Readers Comments

Back to: Pathways Home page, Main Search Page Help Bibliography

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Brassica+oleracea+botrytis+aparagoides
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Brassica+oleracea+botrytis+aparagoides

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
(You can copy, distribute, display this works but: Attribution is required, its for Non-Commercial purposes, and it's Share Alike (GNUish/copyleft) i.e. has an identical license.)
We also ask that you let us know (michael@thewitchshaven.com) if you link to, redistribute, make a derived work or do anything groovy with this information.

Pathways Home :: View Cart :: Shipping & Returns :: Contact Us :: Privacy Policy :: Philosophy :: The Witchs Haven

We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.