VegetableCabbage
Pak Choi Tasty Pagoda Purple Cabbage
Pak Choi Tasty Pagoda Purple is a stunning hybrid that brings both beauty and speed to your garden. This compact variety reaches just 12 to 18 inches tall and matures in a remarkably quick 40 to 49 days, making it one of the fastest pak choi options available. The real showstopper is its striking two-toned foliage: deep purple leaves contrasted with soft green veins and pale undersides create a pagoda-like silhouette that looks as good on the plate as it does in the garden. Hardy from zones 2 to 10, this cold-tolerant hybrid thrives in full sun with moderate water and moderate soil pH, offering flexibility for both container and in-ground growing.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained Loam, Tolerates Poor Soils
Growth Stats
18 in
Height
TypeUpright
Spacing
18
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-10
Size
18in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
The distinctive purple-and-green leaf coloring makes this hybrid visually arresting, but it's the bolt resistance and tender leaves that make it genuinely useful. You can harvest tender leaves whenever you like without waiting for full maturity, or let it develop into a complete head in under seven weeks. The compact 6 to 8 inch stature fits easily into containers, raised beds, or small garden spaces, while its cold tolerance means you can push the season further than many other pak choi varieties.
Common Uses
Pak choi leaves are typically harvested fresh and used in stir-fries, soups, and salads where their tender texture and mild flavor shine. The entire plant, from leaves to stems, is edible and can be prepared quickly over high heat or added raw to fresh preparations. The ability to harvest individual leaves as needed makes this variety especially valuable for home cooks who want ongoing harvests rather than a single bulk crop.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Sow seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your last spring frost in trays or seed-starting mix. Keep soil temperature between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit for reliable germination. Transplant seedlings outdoors once they develop 2 to 3 true leaves and temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees.
Transplant Outdoors
Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Transplant when soil temperature reaches at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit and after the last frost date in your zone. Space transplants 18 inches apart in rows 24 inches apart, burying them at the same depth they were growing indoors.
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds outdoors in spring as soon as soil can be worked, or in late summer for a fall crop. Press seeds into moist soil and keep consistently moist until germination occurs, typically within 7 to 10 days at soil temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Harvesting
Begin harvesting tender leaves as soon as they reach harvestable size, typically 30 to 35 days after planting, or wait 40 to 49 days for a full, mature head. Pinch or cut individual outer leaves from the base to encourage continued growth and leaf production, leaving the central growing point intact. For a complete harvest, cut the entire plant just above soil level when it reaches 6 to 8 inches tall. Harvest in the morning when leaves are crisp and full of moisture for best quality.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Brassica rapa
Family
Brassicaceae
Genus
Brassica
Growth Habit
Upright
Native Status
L48 (I)AK (I)HI (I)CAN (I)GL (I)