Broccolini facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Broccolini |
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B. oleracea
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Brassica oleracea |
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Broccolini or baby broccoli is a green vegetable. It looks a lot like regular broccoli but has smaller florets (the little tree-like tops) and longer, thin stems. It is a hybrid vegetable, meaning it was created by crossing two different plants. Broccolini is a mix of regular broccoli and gai lan, which is also known as "Chinese kale" or "Chinese broccoli." Both of these plants are types of Brassica oleracea. The name "broccolini" is a special brand name owned by Mann Packing.
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How Broccolini Was Created
Broccolini was first developed in Yokohama, Japan. It took the Sakata Seed Company about eight years to create this new vegetable. They made it by crossing broccoli with Chinese broccoli. This process is called hybridization, and it's different from genetic modification.
In 1994, Sakata Seed Company worked with Sanbon Incorporated. They started growing broccolini in Mexico for sale. At first, they called it "Asparation." This name suggested it was similar to asparagus because of its slim, edible stem. Broccolini first came to stores in the United States in 1996. Then, in 1998, Sakata partnered with Mann Packing Company in Salinas, California. Mann Packing started selling the vegetable under the name "Broccolini." Scientists are still working to create new types of broccolini, including a purple version!
What Broccolini Looks Like
Broccolini looks similar to a type of broccoli that sprouts many shoots. It can grow up to 80 centimeters (about 31 inches) tall. Its stem is slender and long, usually between 15 to 30 centimeters (about 6 to 12 inches) in length. Broccolini can be an annual (grows for one season) or a biennial (grows for two seasons) plant. It is also a herbaceous plant, meaning it has soft, green stems rather than woody ones. The plant is smooth, without hairs.
Eating Broccolini
You can eat the whole broccolini plant! This includes the leaves, young stems, and the unopened flower shoots (the florets). Even the small flowers are edible. Broccolini has a sweet taste. Many people say it tastes like a mix of broccoli and asparagus, even though it's not closely related to asparagus.
There are many ways to cook broccolini. Some popular methods include sautéing (cooking quickly in a little fat), steaming, boiling, and stir frying. A study in 2005 looked at how people in Australia cooked broccolini. Most of them preferred to steam it. Fewer people stir-fried it, and only a small number ate it raw in salads.
Broccolini's Nutrition
Broccolini is good for you! It is a source of important vitamins, including vitamin C and vitamin K.
How Broccolini Is Grown
Growing Conditions
Broccolini grows best in cool weather. It does not do well in very hot or very cold climates. It is more sensitive to cold temperatures than regular broccoli. However, it can handle hot temperatures better than broccoli.
How It Grows and Where It's Found
After being planted, broccolini takes about 50 to 60 days to grow. Farmers harvest it when the heads are fully grown but before the flowers open. If you cut off the main head, the plant will grow new, smaller shoots. This helps extend the harvest time. After it's picked, broccolini is cooled down to 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit). This cooling stops the flower heads from developing further and helps keep the vegetable fresh and tasty.
In the United States, broccolini is grown in California during the summer months. In the winter, it is grown in Arizona.
See also
In Spanish: Bimi (verdura) para niños
