View source for Broccoli

{{Short description|Edible green plant in the cabbage family}}
{{Other uses}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox cultivar
| name = Broccoli
| image = Broccoli and cross section edit.jpg
| image_size =
| image_caption =
| species = ''[[Brassica oleracea]]''
| group = Italica
| origin = [[Roman Italy|Italy]], more than 2,000 years ago<ref name="OTB">{{cite journal|title=Origin and taxonomy of broccoli|last=Buck|first=P. A.|journal=Economic Botany|volume=10|issue=3|pages=250–253|date=1956|doi=10.1007/bf02899000|bibcode=1956EcBot..10..250B |s2cid=31365713}}</ref><ref name="JSUOF">{{cite web|url=http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mv031|title=Broccoli—Brassica oleracea L. (Italica group)|last=Stephens|first=James|publisher=University of Florida|page=1|access-date=14 May 2009|archive-date=25 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225193103/http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mv031|url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

'''Broccoli''' (''[[Brassica oleracea]]'' var. ''italica'') is an edible green plant in the [[Brassicaceae|cabbage family]] (family Brassicaceae, genus ''Brassica'') whose large [[Pseudanthium|flowering head]], [[plant stem|stalk]] and small associated [[leafy greens|leaves]] are eaten as a [[vegetable]]. Broccoli is classified in the [[Brassica_oleracea#Cultivar_groups|Italica]] [[cultivar group]] of the species ''[[Brassica oleracea]]''. Broccoli has large [[flower head]]s, or florets, usually dark green, arranged in a tree-like structure branching out from a thick [[plant stem|stalk]], which is usually light green. Leaves surround the mass of flower heads. Broccoli resembles [[cauliflower]], a different but closely related cultivar group of the same ''Brassica'' species.

It can be eaten either raw or cooked. Broccoli is a particularly rich source of [[vitamin C]] and [[vitamin K]]. Contents of its characteristic [[sulfur]]-containing [[glucosinolate]] compounds, [[isothiocyanate]]s and [[sulforaphane]], are diminished by boiling but are better preserved by [[steaming]], [[microwave|microwaving]] or [[stir-fry]]ing.<ref name="Nugrahedi">{{cite journal|last1=Nugrahedi|first1=Probo Y.|last2=Verkerk|first2=Ruud|last3=Widianarko|first3=Budi|last4=Dekker|first4=Matthijs|title=A Mechanistic Perspective on Process-Induced Changes in Glucosinolate Content in Brassica Vegetables: A Review|journal=[[Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition]]|volume=55|issue=6|date=2015|issn=1040-8398|pmid=24915330|doi=10.1080/10408398.2012.688076|pages=823–838|s2cid=25728864|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262977227}}</ref>

[[Rapini]], sometimes called "broccoli rabe", is a distinct species from broccoli, forming similar but smaller heads, and is actually a type of [[turnip]] (''[[Brassica rapa]]'').<ref>{{Cite web|last=Main|first=Sandy|title=Rapini/Broccoli Raab|url=https://ucanr.edu/sites/scmg/The_Kitchen_Garden/Feature_Vegetables/Rapini_Broccoli_Raab/|url-status=live|access-date=13 September 2021|website=sonomamg.ucanr.edu|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150530100002/http://ucanr.edu/sites/scmg/The_Kitchen_Garden/Feature_Vegetables/Rapini_Broccoli_Raab/ |archive-date=30 May 2015 }}</ref>
[[File:Broccoli plants growing in New Jersey in April.jpg|thumb|right|Broccoli plants in a nursery]]
[[File:sa broccoli florets.jpg|thumb|Close-ups of broccoli florets (click to enlarge)]]

== Taxonomy ==
''Brassica oleracea'' var. ''italica'' was described in 1794 by [[Joseph Jakob Plenck|Joseph Jakob von Plenck]] in ''Icones Plantarum Medicinalium'' 6:29, t. 534.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Missouri Botanical Garden |title=Brassica oleracea var. italica |url=http://legacy.tropicos.org/Name/4102963 |website=tropicos.org |publisher=Missouri Botanical Garden |access-date=18 October 2023}}</ref> Like all the other ''brassicas'', broccoli was developed from the wild cabbage ([[Brassica oleracea var. oleracea]]), also called [[colewort]] or field cabbage.

==Etymology==
The word ''broccoli'', first used in the [[17th century]], comes from the Italian plural of ''{{lang|it|[[wikt:broccolo#Italian|broccolo]]}}'', which means "the flowering crest of a [[cabbage]]", and is the diminutive form of ''brocco'', meaning "small nail" or "sprout".<ref>{{cite dictionary|title=Broccoli|encyclopedia=Online Etymology Dictionary|date=2022|access-date=18 January 2023|url=https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=broccoli|archive-date=19 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119002022/https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=broccoli|url-status=live}}</ref>

==History==
Broccoli resulted from the breeding of [[landrace]] ''Brassica'' crops in the northern Mediterranean starting in about the sixth century BCE.<ref name="VB">{{cite journal|last1=Maggioni|first1=Lorenzo|title=Origin and Domestication of Cole Crops (''Brassica oleracea'' L.): Linguistic and Literary Considerations|journal=Economic Botany|volume=64|issue=2|pages=109–123|date=2010|doi=10.1007/s12231-010-9115-2|last2=Bothmer|first2=Roland|last3=Poulsen|first3=Gert|last4=Branca|first4=Ferdinando|hdl=10568/121874 |s2cid=2771884|hdl-access=free}}</ref> Broccoli has its origins in primitive cultivars grown in the [[Roman Empire]] and was most likely [[Plant breeding|improved]] via [[Selective breeding|artificial selection]] in the southern [[Italian Peninsula]] or in [[Sicily]].<ref name="NI">{{cite book|last=Nonnecke|first=Ib|title=Vegetable Production|publisher=Springer-Verlag New York, LLC|date=November 1989|page=394|isbn=978-0-442-26721-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H7i8QJw8BJsC&pg=PA394|access-date=6 October 2020|archive-date=9 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230309051152/https://books.google.com/books?id=H7i8QJw8BJsC&pg=PA394|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite journal|last1=Stansell|first1=Zachary |last2=Björkman|first2=Thomas|date=1 October 2020|title=From landrace to modern hybrid broccoli: the genomic and morphological domestication syndrome within a diverse ''B. oleracea'' collection|journal=Horticulture Research|language=en|volume=7|issue=1|page=159|doi=10.1038/s41438-020-00375-0|pmid=33082966|pmc=7528014|bibcode=2020HorR....7..159S |issn=2052-7276|s2cid=224724369}}</ref><ref name="Stansell 1–10">{{cite journal|last1=Stansell|first1=Zachary|last2=Hyma|first2=Katie|last3=Fresnedo-Ramírez|first3=Jonathan|last4=Sun|first4=Qi|last5=Mitchell|first5=Sharon|last6=Björkman|first6=Thomas|last7=Hua|first7=Jian|date=1 July 2018|title=Genotyping-by-sequencing of ''Brassica oleracea'' vegetables reveals unique phylogenetic patterns, population structure and domestication footprints|journal=Horticulture Research|language=en|volume=5|issue=1|page=38|doi=10.1038/s41438-018-0040-3|pmid=29977574|pmc=6026498|bibcode=2018HorR....5...38S |issn=2052-7276}}</ref> Broccoli was spread to northern Europe by the 18th century and brought to North America in the 19th century by Italian immigrants.<ref name=":0" /> After the Second World War, the breeding of the [[Agriculture in the United States|United States]] and [[Agriculture in Japan|Japan]]ese [[F1 hybrid#In plants|F1 hybrids]] increased yields, quality, growth speed, and regional adaptation, which produced the cultivars commonly grown since then: 'Premium Crop', 'Packman', and 'Marathon'.<ref name=":0" />

==Description==
[[File:Broccoli bloem.jpg|thumb|right|Broccoli flower]]

Broccoli is an [[Annual vs. perennial plant evolution|annual]] [[Cruciferous vegetables|cruciferous]] plant which can grow up to {{cvt|60|–|90|cm|in|}} tall.<ref name="Britannica">{{cite web |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |title=Broccoli, plant |url=https://www.britannica.com/plant/broccoli|date=3 March 2025 |access-date=15 April 2025}}</ref>

Broccoli [[inflorescence]] grows at the end of a central, edible stem and is dark green.<ref name="Britannica"/> Violet, yellow, or even white heads have been created, but these varieties are rare. The flowers are yellow with four petals.

The growth season for broccoli is 14–15 weeks. Broccoli is collected by hand immediately after the head is fully formed yet the flowers are still in their bud stage. The plant develops numerous small  "heads" from the lateral shoots which can be harvested later.

==Varieties==
There are three commonly grown types of broccoli.<ref name=":0" /> The most familiar is ''Calabrese broccoli'', often referred to simply as "broccoli", named after [[Calabria]] in Italy. It has large {{convert|10|to(-)|20|cm|in|0|adj=on}} green heads and thick stalks. It is a cool-season annual crop. ''Sprouting broccoli'' (white or purple) has a larger number of heads with many thin stalks.<ref>{{cite web|title=Broccoli|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/vegetables/broccoli|website=[[Royal Horticultural Society]]|access-date=24 March 2020|archive-date=24 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324233555/https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/vegetables/broccoli|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Purple cauliflower'' or ''violet cauliflower'' is a type of broccoli grown in [[Europe]] and North America. It has a head shaped like cauliflower but consists of many tiny flower buds. Sometimes, but not always, it has a purple cast to the tips of the flower buds. Purple cauliflower may also be white, red, green, or other colors.<ref>{{citation|last=Branca|first=Ferdinando|title=Cauliflower and Broccoli|date=2008|work=Vegetables I: Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Chenopodicaceae, and Cucurbitaceae|pages=151–186|editor1-last=Prohens|editor1-first=Jaime|editor2-last=Nuez|editor2-first=Fernando|series=Handbook of Plant Breeding|volume=1|place=New York, NY|publisher=Springer|language=en|doi=10.1007/978-0-387-30443-4_5|isbn=978-0-387-30443-4}}</ref>

''Beneforté'' is a variety of broccoli containing 2–3 times more [[glucoraphanin]] and produced by crossing broccoli with a wild [[Brassica]] variety, ''Brassica oleracea'' var ''villosa''.<ref>{{cite web|title=British research leads to UK-wide launch of Beneforté broccoli|url=https://quadram.ac.uk/beneforte_uk_wide/|website=Quadram Institute|access-date=24 March 2020|date=25 June 2012}}</ref>

==Other cultivar groups of ''Brassica oleracea''==
{{Main|Brassica oleracea#Cultivar groups}}
Other cultivar groups of ''Brassica oleracea'' include [[cabbage]] (Capitata Group), [[cauliflower]] and [[Romanesco broccoli]] (Botrytis Group), [[kale]] (Acephala Group), [[Collard (plant)|collard]] (Viridis Group), [[kohlrabi]] (Gongylodes Group), [[Brussels sprout]]s (Gemmifera Group), and [[kai-lan]] (Alboglabra Group).<ref name=Dixon2007>{{cite book|last1=Dixon|first1=G.R.|date=2007|title=Vegetable brassicas and related crucifers|isbn=978-0-85199-395-9|publisher=CABI|location=Wallingford}}</ref> As these groups are the same species, they readily hybridize: for example, [[broccolini]] or "Tenderstem broccoli" is a cross between broccoli and [[kai-lan]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Stansell|first1=Zachary|last2=Farnham|first2=Mark|last3=Björkman|first3=Thomas|date=2019|title=Complex Horticultural Quality Traits in Broccoli Are Illuminated by Evaluation of the Immortal BolTBDH Mapping Population|journal=Frontiers in Plant Science|language=en|volume=10|article-number=1104|doi=10.3389/fpls.2019.01104|pmid=31620146|pmc=6759917|bibcode=2019FrPS...10.1104S |issn=1664-462X|doi-access=free}}</ref> Broccoli cultivars form the genetic basis of the "tropical cauliflowers" commonly grown in South and Southeastern Asia, although they produce a more cauliflower-like head in warmer conditions.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Bjorkman|first1=T.|last2=Pearson|first2=K. J.|date=1 January 1998|title=High temperature arrest of inflorescence development in broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica L.)|journal=Journal of Experimental Botany|volume=49|issue=318|pages=101–106|doi=10.1093/jxb/49.318.101|issn=0022-0957|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
{{Table alignment}}
{| class="wikitable floatright col2right"
|+ Broccoli production <br />{{small|2023, millions of tonnes}}
|-
| {{CHN}} || 9.7
|-
| {{IND}} || 9.5
|-
| {{USA}} || 1.1
|-
| {{MEX}} || 0.8
|-
| {{ESP}} || 0.6
|-
| '''World''' || '''26.5'''
|-
|colspan=2|{{small|Source: [[FAOSTAT]]<br> of the [[United Nations]]}}<ref name="fao">{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QC|title=Broccoli (and cauliflower) production in 2023, Crops/Regions/World list/Production Quantity/Year (pick lists)|date=2025|publisher=UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Corporate Statistical Database (FAOSTAT)|access-date=15 April 2025}}</ref>
|}

==Cultivation==
The majority of broccoli cultivars are cool-weather crops that do poorly in hot summer weather. Broccoli grows best when exposed to an average daily temperature between {{convert|18|and|23|°C|°F}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=HGIC 1301 Broccoli|last=Smith|first=Powell|date=June 1999|publisher=[[Clemson University]]|url=http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/vegetables/crops/hgic1301.html|access-date=25 August 2009|archive-date=26 April 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090426013514/http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/vegetables/crops/hgic1301.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Branham|first1=Sandra E.|last2=Stansell|first2=Zachary J.|last3=Couillard|first3=David M.|last4=Farnham|first4=Mark W.|date=1 March 2017|title=Quantitative trait loci mapping of heat tolerance in broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) using genotyping-by-sequencing|journal=Theoretical and Applied Genetics|language=en|volume=130|issue=3|pages=529–538|doi=10.1007/s00122-016-2832-x|pmid=27900399|s2cid=2361874|issn=1432-2242}}</ref> When the cluster of flowers, also referred to as a "head" of broccoli, appears in the center of the plant, the cluster is generally green. Garden pruners or shears are used to cut the head about {{convert|1|in|mm|0|order=flip|abbr=on}} from the tip. Broccoli should be harvested before the flowers on the head bloom bright yellow.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Broccoli|last=Liptay|first=Albert|date=1988}}</ref> Broccoli cannot be harvested using machines, but rather is hand-harvested.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Broccoli production|url=https://extension.psu.edu/broccoli-production|publisher=Pennsylvania State University, Extension Service|date=20 June 2005|access-date=10 February 2021|archive-date=19 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219130239/https://extension.psu.edu/broccoli-production|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Production==

In 2023, global production of broccoli (combined for production reports with [[cauliflower]]s) was 26.5 million [[tonne]]s, with [[China]] and [[India]] together accounting for 65% of the world total (table). Secondary producers, each having about one million tonnes or less annually, were the [[United States]], [[Mexico]], and [[Spain]].

In the United States, broccoli is grown year-round in [[California]] – which produced 92% of the crop nationally – with 95% of the total crop produced for fresh sales in 2018.<ref name="amrc">{{cite web|title=Broccoli|url=https://www.agmrc.org/commodities-products/vegetables/broccoli|publisher=Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, US Department of Agriculture|date=1 June 2018|access-date=27 June 2019|archive-date=1 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190701120609/https://www.agmrc.org/commodities-products/vegetables/broccoli|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{nutritionalvalue | name=Broccoli, raw
| water=89.3 g
| kJ=141
| protein=2.82 g
| fat=0.37 g
| carbs=6.64 g
| fiber=2.6 g
| sugars=1.7 g
| sodium_mg=33
| calcium_mg=47
| iron_mg=0.73
| magnesium_mg=21
| phosphorus_mg=66
| potassium_mg=316
| zinc_mg=0.41
| manganese_mg=0.21
| vitC_mg=89.2
| thiamin_mg=0.071
| riboflavin_mg=0.117
| niacin_mg=0.639
| pantothenic_mg=0.573
| vitB6_mg=0.175
| folate_ug=63
| choline_mg=19
| vitA_ug=31
| betacarotene_ug=361
| lutein_ug=1403
| vitE_mg=0.78
| vitK_ug=101.6
| source_usda=1
| note=[https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/170379/nutrients Link to USDA Database entry]
}}

==Nutrition==
Raw broccoli is 89% water, 7% [[carbohydrate]]s, 3% [[protein (nutrient)|protein]], and contains negligible [[fat]] (table). A {{convert|100|g|oz|frac=2|abbr=off|adj=on}} reference amount of raw broccoli provides {{convert|141|kJ|kcal|abbr=off}} of [[food energy]] and is a rich source (20% or higher of the [[Daily Value]], DV) of [[vitamin C]] (99% DV) and [[vitamin K]] (85% DV) (table). Raw broccoli also contains moderate amounts (10–19% DV) of several [[B vitamins]] and the [[dietary mineral]] [[potassium in biology|potassium]], whereas other [[micronutrient]]s are low in content (less than 10% DV). Broccoli contains the dietary [[carotenoid]], [[beta-carotene]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Farnham |first1=Mark W. |last2=Kopsell |first2=Dean A. |title=Importance of Genotype on Carotenoid and Chlorophyll Levels in Broccoli Heads |journal=HortScience |date=Aug 2009 |volume=44 |issue=5 |page=1248-1253|doi=10.21273/HORTSCI.44.5.1248 |url=https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/44/5/article-p1248.xml|access-date=18 October 2023|url-access=subscription |doi-access=free }} [https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/downloadpdf/journals/hortsci/44/5/article-p1248.xml PDF]</ref>

===Cooking===
{{See also|List of broccoli dishes}}
Boiling substantially reduces the levels of broccoli [[glucosinolate]]s, while other cooking methods, such as [[steaming]], [[Microwave oven|microwaving]], and [[stir-frying]], have no significant effect on glucosinolate levels.<ref name=Nugrahedi/>

==Taste==
The perceived bitterness of [[cruciferous vegetables]], such as broccoli, results from [[glucosinolates]] and their hydrolysis products, particularly [[isothiocyanate]]s and other [[sulfur]]-containing compounds.<ref name="Bell">{{cite journal | last1=Bell | first1=Luke | last2=Oloyede | first2=Omobolanle O. | last3=Lignou | first3=Stella | last4=Wagstaff | first4=Carol | last5=Methven | first5=Lisa | title=Taste and flavor perceptions of glucosinolates, isothiocyanates, and related compounds | journal=Molecular Nutrition and Food Research | volume=62 | issue=18 | date=2018-04-30 | issn=1613-4125 | pmid=29578640 | doi=10.1002/mnfr.201700990 | article-number=1700990| s2cid=206265098 | url=https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/76654/1/mnfr.201700990.pdf }}</ref> Preliminary research indicates that [[genetic inheritance]] through the gene [[TAS2R38]] may be responsible in part for bitter taste perception in broccoli.<ref>{{cite journal|pmid=24025627|title=Human bitter perception correlates with bitter receptor messenger RNA expression in taste cells|vauthors=Lipchock SV, Mennella JA, Spielman AI, Reed DR|journal=Am J Clin Nutr|date=2013|volume=98|issue=4|pages=1136–43|doi=10.3945/ajcn.113.066688|pmc=3778862}}</ref>

==Pests==
The larvae of ''[[Pieris rapae]]'', also known as the "small white" butterfly, are a common pest in broccoli and were mostly introduced accidentally to North America, Australia, and New Zealand.<ref>{{cite book|author1-last=Heitzman|author1-first=J. Richard|author2-last=Heitzman|author2-first=Joan E.|editor1-last=Love|editor1-first=Kathy|editor2-last=Larsen|editor2-first=LuAnne|others=Rathert, Jim (principal photographer)|title=Butterflies and moths of Missouri|date=1996|publisher=Missouri Dept. of Conservation|location=Jefferson City, MO|isbn=1-887247-06-8}}</ref>

Additional pests common to broccoli production include:<ref>{{cite web|title=Cabbage, Broccoli & Other Cole Crop Insect Pests|url=https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/cabbage-broccoli-other-cole-crop-insect-pests/|website=Home & Garden Information Center|date=4 May 2020|publisher=Clemson University|location=South Carolina|access-date=28 November 2020|language=en-US|archive-date=7 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207131415/https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/cabbage-broccoli-other-cole-crop-insect-pests/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Aphid]]s
* [[Cabbage looper]]
* [[Hellula undalis|Cabbage webworm]]
* [[Cross-striped cabbageworm]]
* [[Diamondback moth]]
* [[Pieris rapae|Imported cabbageworm]]
* [[Delia radicum|Cabbage maggot]]
* [[Harlequin cabbage bug]]

==Gallery==
<gallery>
NRCSAZ02078 - Arizona (439)(NRCS Photo Gallery).jpg|[[Surface irrigation#Furrow irrigation|Furrow flood irrigation]] on a field of broccoli raised for seed in [[Yuma, Arizona]].
Broccoli flowers 2525385935 e13d4de4c4 b.jpg|Broccoli in flower
Cavolfiore Violetto di Sicilia.jpg|Sicilian purple broccoli
巨無霸青花菜 20191121171730.jpg|Broccoli "giant", whose flowering head and stalk can reach a kilo.
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|Agriculture|Food}}
* [[Broccolini]]
* [[Epicuticular wax]]
* [[George H. W. Bush broccoli comments]]; the 41st U.S. president famously disliked the vegetable
* [[Microgreen]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Broccoli}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160210161136/http://database.prota.org/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll?AC=QBE_QUERY&BU=http%3A%2F%2Fdatabase.prota.org%2Fsearch.htm&TN=PROTAB~1&QB0=AND&QF0=Species+Code&QI0=Brassica+oleracea+cauliflower+and+broccoli&RF=Webdisplay PROTAbase on ''Brassica oleracea (cauliflower and broccoli)''] (archived 10 February 2016)
* [http://cuke.hort.ncsu.edu/cucurbit/wehner/vegcult/broccoli.html List of North American broccoli cultivars], USDA/ARS Vegetable Laboratory

{{Brassica oleraca}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q47722}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Brassica]]
[[Category:Crops originating from Europe]]
[[Category:Edible plants]]
[[Category:Food plant cultivars]]
[[Category:Inflorescence vegetables]]
[[Category:Italian words and phrases]]