Spring Broccoli Raab is a cool-season green that defies its name with charming honesty: it's technically a turnip top, not broccoli at all, yet it produces those familiar small florets alongside tender stems and leaves that steal the show in kitchens across Italy and Asia. Ready to harvest in just 60 days, this frost-tolerant cultivar grows to a compact 12 to 18 inches tall, thriving in full sun with moderate water and well-balanced soil. The real draw is its bright, sharp broccoli-like flavor and the versatility of the whole plant, from delicate florets to assertive stems that transform under heat and garlic into something memorably delicious.
Full Sun
Moderate
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18in H x 6in W
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High
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The entire plant earns its place on your plate. Unlike true broccoli, where you're mainly after the head, Spring Broccoli Raab celebrates every part: the small florets, the tender stems, and the flavorful leaves all deliver that signature sharp, broccoli-forward taste. Sauté it whole with minced garlic for a gourmet pizza topping or Asian stir-fry, and you'll understand why this cool-weather crop has earned devotion in cuisines that prize bold greens. At 60 days to harvest and standing just a foot and a half tall, it fits neatly into spring and fall gardens where space is tight.
The entire plant is edible and prized in the kitchen. Those small florets can be treated like traditional broccoli, but the real magic happens when you embrace the whole stem with its leaves. Sauté the stems with minced garlic for a standout pizza topping, stir-fry them in Asian preparations where their sharp flavor cuts through rich oils and sauces, or blanch and finish with olive oil and lemon. The bright, assertive flavor means it holds its own against bold seasonings and doesn't fade into the background.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Direct sow 2 to 3 weeks prior to the last spring frost for a spring crop, or time fall plantings so plants mature before hard freezes arrive. The frost tolerance of this cultivar gives you flexibility in both seasons.
At 60 days from sowing, the plants reach maturity and are ready to harvest. Look for small florets that resemble miniature broccoli heads and tender stems that snap cleanly when bent; these are signs of peak eating quality. Cut or snap the entire plant at the base, or harvest individual stem sections as they reach eating size, leaving the crown to produce side shoots for a second flush. The whole plant, from florets through stems to leaves, is edible and should be harvested together for the best kitchen results.
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“Spring Broccoli Raab carries the mark of culinary translation and naming creativity. Called Broccoli Raab by seed companies to elevate its popularity and meet the expectations of Western gardeners who associate it with broccoli, it has lived a different life in Italian and Asian kitchens for centuries, where it is prized simply as a tasty turnip top. The name may be a marketing flourish, but the variety itself represents generations of selection for productive, flavorful stems and leaves rather than a large central head, making it a genuine bridge between heritage vegetable traditions and modern home garden popularity.”