Brassica rapa (Chinensis Group) 'Baraku'

RHS Plant Profile

pak choi 'Baraku'

Herbaceous Perennial

A perennial grown as an annual vegetable, producing an excellent quality pak choi with attractive, dark green, oval leaves. Ideal for baby leaf salads

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand, Chalk

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 1 year
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand Chalk

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: West–facing or South–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H3

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Brassicaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Columnar upright
Genus: Brassicas can be annual, biennial or perennial plants, most are upright with alternate, often glaucous leaves, long taproots and clusters of cross-shaped, yellow or white flowers. The genus includes a number of species bred to produce food crops, such as cabbages, turnips, mustards and oilseed rape, as well as others grown for their ornamental value
Name Status: Unresolved

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, moist but well drained soil in full sun. Sow direct between Mar-July, sowing thinly into well prepared soil, 1cm deep in rows 40cm apart. Seedlings should appear within 2-4 weeks. Thin to 10cm spacing for baby leaf or 30cm for mature plants. See Vegetable Cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Patio and container plants

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to birds, cabbage caterpillars, cabbage root fly, cabbage whitefly, cutworms, flea beetle, slugs and snails

Diseases

May be susceptible to black rot, club root, downy mildew, grey mould, leaf spot