# Broccoli (*Alternaria broccoli-italicae*)

Broccoli is a green vegetable that grows in gardens. It has a thick stalk and tiny green buds on top. Broccoli is very healthy and can make you strong!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Gardens
- **Also known as:** Broccolini, Calabrese

![Broccoli](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Brassica-oleracea-italica-flower.JPG&width=800)

Photo: Sten Porse, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brassica-oleracea-italica-flower.JPG)

## Appearance

The Broccoli plant has a thick, central stalk topped with a dense head of dark green, tightly packed flower buds, often called florets. Its large, broad leaves, which can be blue-green, grow from the stalk below the head.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Ascomycota
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Brassicales
- **Family:** Brassicaceae
- **Genus:** Brassica

## Interesting facts

- Broccoli is a super close relative of cabbage, kale, and Brussels sprouts. Wow!
- Broccoli's name comes from an Italian word meaning "little arms" or "small shoots." Wow!
- Wild broccoli ancestors used to grow on rocky sea cliffs in the Mediterranean. Wow!
- You are actually eating the tiny, unopened flower buds of the broccoli plant. Wow!

## Special abilities

- **Nutrient Powerhouse:** Broccoli has dense florets packed with vitamins that help it store energy for future growth and seed production.
- **Regrowth Magic:** After its main head is harvested, Broccoli can grow smaller side shoots, producing even more edible florets.
- **Cold Weather Friend:** Broccoli can tolerate cooler temperatures, which helps it grow well in spring and fall when other plants struggle.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 60-90 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** [human](https://www.snappit.app/explore/human) (*Homo sapiens*) — a nutritious food source
- **Eaten by:** cabbage white butterfly (*Pieris rapae*) — larvae feed on leaves
- **Pollinates:** honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — helps plant make seeds
- **Parasitizes:** black spot fungus (*Alternaria brassicicola*) — causes dark leaf spots

## Traits

- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Cold Hardy](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cold-hardy): Cold hardy plants are able to withstand low temperatures and freezing conditions without significant damage.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)
- [Vegetables](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/vegetables)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always wash broccoli before eating it to make sure it's clean and safe.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Broccoli?

Compare leaves, stems, flowers, pods and the part you eat. Seedlings can look like unrelated garden plants until their mature leaves come in. Vegetable Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Broccoli?

60-90 cm

### How wide does Broccoli spread?

30-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on Broccoli?

1-2 cm

### When does Broccoli bloom?

Late spring to early summer

### Is Broccoli edible?

Yes

### Is Broccoli toxic?

None

### What is Broccoli's lifecycle?

Annual

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Broccoli: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/broccoli)