broccoli
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- Royal Horticultural Society - How to grow Broccoli
- Ohio State University Extension - Ohioline - Raspberries for the Home Fruit Planting
- Colorado State University - Food Source Information - Broccoli
- Healthline - Top 14 Health Benefits of Broccoli
- Live Science - Broccoli: Health Benefits, Risks & Nutrition Facts
- Clemson Cooperative Extension - Home and Garden Information Center - Broccoli
- Utah State University - Yard and Garden Extension - Broccoli in the Garden
- University of Minnesota Extension - Growing broccoli in home gardens
- PlantVillage - Broccoli
broccoli, form of cabbage, of the mustard family (Brassicaceae), grown for its edible flower buds and stalk. Native to the eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor, sprouting broccoli was cultivated in Italy in ancient Roman times and was introduced to England and America in the 1700s. High in dietary fibre and a number of vitamins and minerals, including potassium, folic acid, and vitamins A, C, and K, broccoli is a nutritious vegetable and can be eaten fresh or cooked. Fresh broccoli should be dark green in colour, with firm stalks and compact bud clusters.
Broccoli is a fast-growing annual plant that grows 60–90 cm (24–35 inches) tall. Upright and branching with leathery leaves, broccoli bears dense green clusters of flower buds at the ends of the central axis and the branches. If left unharvested, those buds bear yellow flowers with four petals and produce silique fruits (a dry capsule). Broccoli thrives in moderate to cool climates and is propagated by seeds, either sown directly in the field or in plant beds to produce transplants. The heads, or florets, reach harvest in 60 to 150 days, depending upon the variety and the weather.
