VegetableCabbage
Chun Mei Cabbage
Chun Mei is a hybrid pak choi that brings reliable cool-season harvests in just 45-50 days, making it one of the fastest leafy greens you can grow. This upright Chinese cabbage reaches 12-18 inches tall and produces dark green leaves with broad, long, and shiny petioles that catch the light beautifully. What distinguishes Chun Mei is its exceptional resistance to bolting, even as temperatures shift, which means you can plant it across spring and fall without constant worry about premature flowering. Hardy in zones 2-10 and thriving in full sun with just 18 inches of spacing between plants, this nutrient-dense vegetable transforms a small garden bed into a prolific source of tender greens.
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
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Highlights
Chun Mei's slow-bolting genetics are its superpower, giving gardeners a genuinely flexible planting window rather than a narrow three-week slot. The hybrid's upright growth habit and broad, luminous petioles create an elegant presence in the garden and on the harvest table. Its cold and heat tolerance means you're not fighting the seasons; instead, you're working alongside them. In just 45-50 days, you'll have mature plants ready to pick, which is the speed that makes succession planting actually manageable.
Common Uses
Chun Mei pak choi is harvested for its leafy greens and tender stems, which are eaten fresh, stir-fried, steamed, or added to soups. The entire plant, from the broad petioles to the dark green leaves, is edible and nutrient-dense. It's a staple in Chinese cooking and increasingly common in Western kitchens as a cabbage substitute or addition to Asian-inspired dishes.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant seedlings outdoors after they've developed 2-3 true leaves and have been hardened off over 5-7 days of gradual exposure to outdoor conditions. Space plants 18 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart.
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds into garden soil in spring or fall, timing plantings to avoid the hottest part of summer. Sow seeds thinly in rows spaced 12 inches apart.
Harvesting
Begin harvesting Chun Mei at 45-50 days after planting when plants reach their mature height of 12-18 inches. You can harvest outer leaves individually once they're dark green and firm, or cut entire plants at the base just above soil level. For the most tender greens, harvest in the morning after dew has dried. The broad, shiny petioles should feel crisp and snap cleanly when bent.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Brassica rapa var chinensis
Family
Brassicaceae
Genus
Brassica
Growth Habit
Upright
Native Status
L48 (I)AK (I)HI (I)CAN (I)GL (I)