Di Ciccio broccoli represents a return to the broccoli that gardeners grew before commercial breeding chased ever-larger heads. This open-pollinated Italian variety produces central blue-green florets of three to four inches across, maturing in just 70 days in zones 3 through 10. Rather than a single harvest, Di Ciccio staggered its production, rewarding patient gardeners with waves of tender florets over weeks. The plants reach 24 to 36 inches tall with a growth habit that sits between the slimmer Piracicaba and the heftier Calabrese, making it substantially more rewarding than its modern hybrid cousins.
Full Sun
Moderate
3-10
36in H x 30in W
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Moderate
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Di Ciccio earns its place in home gardens and CSAs through a harvest pattern that feels almost generous. The central head develops alongside secondary florets that emerge at different times, giving you broccoli for cutting from the same plant over an extended season rather than all at once. Both the florets and the leaves and stems are entirely edible, stretching the value of every plant you grow.
Di Ciccio broccoli reaches the kitchen as fresh florets steamed, roasted, or blanched for salads. The tender leaves and stems are equally valuable, offering a mild, slightly sweet character that works beautifully in stir-fries, braised preparations, or simply sautéed with garlic. The staggered harvest makes this variety particularly suited to small-scale cooking where you can use the plant fresh over multiple weeks rather than processing a massive head at once.
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Start seeds indoors in trays kept at 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Transplant into the garden once seedlings develop true leaves and have been hardened off by gradual exposure to outdoor conditions.
Transplant into garden beds once the danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures consistently reach 65 degrees Fahrenheit or above. Space plants 24 inches apart with 18 inches between rows.
Harvest the central head when florets remain tight and blue-green in color, before they begin to yellow or open into flowers. Cut the main head first with a sharp knife, leaving the plant in the ground. Secondary florets will continue developing in the leaf axils and along the upper stem over the following weeks. Continue cutting these smaller florets as they reach usable size, typically three to four inches across. The leaves and stems are edible throughout the plant's life.
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“Before plant breeders focused their work on producing the massive, uniform heads demanded by commercial agriculture, broccoli was a different crop altogether. Di Ciccio preserves that earlier breeding lineage as an open-pollinated variety, a choice that reflects both horticultural history and a commitment to the seed-saving practices that home gardeners and small farms depend on.”