Chinese Big Stem Broccoli, Heirloom Seeds

Chinese Big Stem Broccoli (Gai Lan) — The Cold-Tolerant Heirloom With Big, Crisp, Juicy Stems

Chinese Big Stem Broccoli — also known as Gai Lan or Chinese Kale — is a beloved Asian vegetable grown for its thick, crisp stalks and tender leaves rather than a central head. This open-pollinated heirloom has excellent flavor, a deep green color, and impressively large stems that are crisp and juicy all the way through. Cold-tolerant and slow to bolt, it thrives in cool seasons and keeps producing well into fall, even after other brassicas have given up. Harvest stems at 12–18 inches, and if the outer skin becomes tough on larger stems, peel it — the flesh inside remains juicy and crisp. 60 days.

After harvesting the central stalk, the plant branches freely for an extended harvest of smaller stems and leaves all season long.

Why Grow Chinese Big Stem Broccoli?

• Big, crisp, juicy stems — 12–18 inches, excellent for slicing and stir-frying
• Cold-tolerant & slow to bolt — thrives in cool seasons, extending the harvest window.
• Continuous harvest — branches freely after the central stalk is cut
• Deep green color & excellent flavor — stalks, leaves, and buds all edible
• Versatile in Asian cooking — stir-fries, soups, tempura, sukiyaki & oyster sauce
• Open-pollinated heirloom — save seed year after year

Growing Notes

Sow seeds in spring after the last frost, or in late summer for a fall crop. Prepare fertile, well-draining soil. Keep soil consistently moist. Harvest the central stalk when 8–10 inches tall and 2–3 flowers are about to open — this triggers branching for a continuous harvest. Blanch before stir-frying to tenderize stems and leaves. If the outer skin is tough on large stems, peel before cooking — the flesh inside stays juicy and crisp.

Packed and shipped by Box Garden Seeds LLC — heirloom seeds grown without GMOs, selected for flavor, resilience, and your garden's success.