Broccoli Relatives You Can Grow: Romanesco, Raab, and More

[Stephen Albert]

Broccoli belongs to the diverse brassica family, which includes many unique and flavorful relatives worth growing in your garden. Expanding beyond traditional broccoli opens up new textures, tastes, and growing experiences. After more than 30 years of gardening, I’ve enjoyed cultivating several close cousins of broccoli that thrive alongside or in rotation with it.

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Romanesco broccoli

Romanesco: The Fractal Marvel​

• Description: Romanesco is famous for its striking, spiraled, lime-green heads that resemble natural fractals.
• Flavor: Milder and nuttier than broccoli with a tender texture.
• Growing Tips: Similar to broccoli—requires cool weather and rich, well-drained soil. Starts indoors 6–8 weeks before last frost for best results.

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Rapini aka Broccoli Raap

Broccoli Raab (Rapini): The Bitter Green​

• Description: Broccoli raab looks like leafy greens with small, loose florets. It’s prized in Mediterranean cooking.
• Flavor: Bitter and peppery, great sautéed or steamed.
• Growing Tips: Grows quickly; ideal for succession planting. Tolerates cooler temperatures and can mature in as little as 40 days.

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Other Brassica Relatives to Try​

• Cauliflower: Closely related and grown similarly, with dense white heads.
• Kale: Leafy and hardy, perfect for year-round growing.
• Brussels Sprouts: Produces small edible “mini-cabbages” on tall stalks.
• Kohlrabi: Grown for its edible swollen stem, crunchy and mild.

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My Experience Growing Broccoli Relatives​

I’ve cultivated these brassicas in my garden for decades, observing their unique growth habits, flavor profiles, and seasonal needs. Understanding their similarities and differences helps me plan crop rotations that improve soil health and reduce pest issues, while diversifying harvests with exciting new vegetables. Here’s a guide for you:

Broccoli and Relatives Planting & Harvest Calendar​

Crop	Start Indoors	Transplant/Direct Sow	Days to Harvest	Best Planting Season	Notes
Broccoli	6–8 weeks before last frost	2–4 weeks before last frost	60–90 days	Early spring, late summer	Prefers cool weather, mulch to retain moisture
Romanesco	6–8 weeks before last frost	2 weeks before last frost	75–90 days	Early spring, late summer	Similar care to broccoli, needs rich soil
Broccoli Raab	Optional (can direct sow)	Direct sow early spring or late summer	40–50 days	Early spring, fall	Fast-growing, tolerate light frost
Cauliflower	6–8 weeks before last frost	2–4 weeks before last frost	60–85 days	Early spring, late summer	Requires consistent moisture, sensitive to heat
Kale	4–6 weeks before last frost	Direct sow or transplant	50–70 days	Spring, fall, winter	Very cold-hardy, grows well in cooler temps
Brussels Sprouts	6–8 weeks before last frost	4 weeks before last frost	90–110 days	Early spring	Needs long cool season for best flavor
Kohlrabi	4–6 weeks before last frost	2–4 weeks before last frost	50–70 days	Spring, fall	Grows quickly, harvest before large

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