Vivid Choi is a stunning open-pollinated Asian green that lives up to its name, displaying bold dark green leaves that emerge from vibrant stems in shades of purple and pink. Ready to harvest in just 50 days, this frost-tolerant Brassica rapa grows to a compact 8, 12 inches tall and thrives in full sun with moderate water and a soil pH between 6.0 and 7.5. Bred by the legendary Frank Morton, Vivid Choi works equally well as a delicate baby green or a mature bunching choi, making it remarkably flexible for spring and fall production in home gardens and market operations alike.
Full Sun
Moderate
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12in H x 16in W
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Moderate
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The real draw here is Vivid Choi's dramatic appearance combined with its genuine speed and adaptability. Dark green leaves absolutely dominate the plant, but it's those shocking purple and pink stems that make it visually striking in the garden or on the plate. The colors deepen and become more vivid as the plants mature, so you get a different experience harvesting tender baby greens versus full-sized heads. Its strong, upright habit means the whole plant bunches cleanly without sprawling, and the wonderfully mild, sweet flavor works fresh or cooked.
Vivid Choi shines as both a tender baby green and a full-sized bunching choi. Harvest young leaves for salads, stir-fries, and raw preparations where their mild sweetness and delicate texture shine. As mature plants, the entire head bunches easily for cooking applications: steaming, braising, or quick pan-frying where the purple and pink stems add both visual appeal and a subtle, sweet flavor that balances earthier dishes.
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Start seeds indoors 8, 10 weeks before your last frost date. Maintain germination temperatures between 55, 70°F. Transplant seedlings outdoors once they've developed true leaves and soil temperatures are favorable.
Transplant hardened-off seedlings outdoors, spacing them 6 inches apart in rows spaced 12 inches apart. Direct sowing is also effective beginning 3, 4 weeks before your last spring frost, or in late summer for fall harvest.
Direct sow seeds 3, 4 weeks before your last frost for spring production, or in late summer for fall harvest. Sow into prepared soil at your proper spacing depth.
Vivid Choi reaches harvest readiness in 50 days from transplant or direct sowing. You can pick tender baby leaves at any point once the plant shows vigor; these younger leaves offer a delicate texture and milder flavor. For mature bunches, harvest when the plant has reached full size with the most vibrant purple and pink stem coloration. Cut the entire head cleanly at the base, or selectively remove outer leaves to encourage continued production.
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“Vivid Choi emerges from the breeding work of Frank Morton, one of the most respected vegetable breeders in the Pacific Northwest and a champion of open-pollinated Asian greens. Morton's philosophy has always centered on creating varieties that respond to regional growing seasons and deliver both visual beauty and culinary quality, rather than chasing monoculture uniformity. By releasing Vivid Choi as an open-pollinated variety, Morton ensured gardeners could save seed and adapt the variety to their own microclimates year after year, continuing a tradition of seed sovereignty that defines his life's work.”