Other Names:  Brassica juncea, Chinese flat cabbage

Description:

This variety features dark green spoon shaped leaves that form a thick rosette; performs better in cooler temperatures, plant in the spring or late summer into fall; mild flavor profile makes it great for salads or soups; similar taste to spinach

Edible Qualities

Tatsoi is an annual vegetable plant that is typically grown for its edible qualities. The crinkled oval dark green leaves are usually harvested from late spring to early fall. The leaves have a spicy taste.

The leaves are most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Eating When Cooked/Prepared
• Cooking

Planting & Growing

Tatsoi will grow to be about 10 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 16 inches. When planted in rows, individual plants should be spaced approximately 6 inches apart. This fast-growing vegetable plant is an annual, which means that it will grow for one season in your garden and then die after producing a crop. Because of its relatively short time to maturity, it lends itself to a series of successive plantings each staggered by a week or two; this will prolong the effective harvest period.

This plant is typically grown in a designated vegetable garden. It does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This species is not originally from North America, and it is considered by many to be an heirloom plant.

Tatsoi is a good choice for the vegetable garden, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing the canvas against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.