Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners is a citizen science program





'Piracicaba' Broccoli
 
Sub-Category: None
 
Sub-Category 2:
Description: Small, loose green heads with many sideshoots. Resembles cross between heading broccoli and broccoli raab.
Days To Maturity: 56
Seed Sources:
 
Rating Summary
 
Overall: (4.3 Stars)Overall
Taste: (4.3 Stars)Taste
Yield: (4.5 Stars)Yield
Ease/Reliability: (4.8 Stars)Ease/Reliability
 
Reviews
 
Login to share your Review of Piracicaba.

Number of Reviews: 6

Sort Reviews By:
  [Help]
KEY: O=Overall Rating, T=Taste, Y=Yield, E=Ease

Reviewed on 04/27/2015 by loki - An experienced gardener

Overall Overall
Taste Taste
Yield Yield
Ease/Reliability Ease

Cache, Utah, United States
Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

This is a cross of kale and broccoli developed - or at least made popular - in Brazil. It is much like broccoli raab, but that is actually a turnip grown for it's tops. It's not as bitter as broccoli raab, but it's more intensely flavored than typical broccoli. It does very well in the heat, but carries on into very cold weather (when it gets sweeter). You can eat it all which makes it a great 'greens' resource in the garden.
 
1 of 1 gardener found this review helpful.  

Reviewed on 01/02/2011 by Henbogle - An experienced gardener

Overall Overall
Taste Taste
Yield Yield
Ease/Reliability Ease

Sagadahoc, Maine, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Clay
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

Piracicaba is now guaranteed a place in my garden. While not as sweet as a classic large head broccoli, it is intensely broccoli-flavored and delicious. It forms plentiful long-stemmed shoots over the entire growing season which remain tender and tasty. The plants get large so plan for that space-wise and leave enough row cover to keep the cabbage worms at bay. A good dose of fertilizer mid-season improves long term production.
 
2 of 2 gardeners found this review helpful.  

Reviewed on 06/22/2010 by neeld - An experienced gardener

Overall Overall
Taste Taste
Yield Yield
Ease/Reliability Ease

San Luis Obispo, California, United States
Frost Free Season: More than 203 days
Soil Texture: Sand
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

This is my one of my new favorites. The long tender stems lend themselves to being used like Chinese broccoli in stir fries. Much more productive than any sprouting type broccoli I've ever tried and a flavor I prefer to even regular heading broccoli. The harvest of progressively smaller sprouts can go on for months.
 

Reviewed on 10/21/2008 by Caroline - An intermediate gardener

Overall Overall
Taste Taste
Yield Yield
Ease/Reliability Ease

Tompkins, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20')
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

Grown under row cover to protect from cabbage whites. My first try with any type of broccoli. I liked the slightly bitter taste of this very much, better than regular (supermarket) broccoli. Great for stir-fries. I used succession planting, but these plants produced for me over a long period (basically all season). Not very high yields per plant, so next year I will grow more individuals at one time, rather than sequentially.
 
2 of 2 gardeners found this review helpful.  

Reviewed on 05/14/2008 by containergardener - An experienced gardener

Overall Overall
Taste Taste
Yield Yield
Ease/Reliability Ease

Los Angeles, California, United States
Frost Free Season: More than 203 days
Soil Texture: Sand
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

This winter, I started Piracicaba seed under lights and planted out, one to a five-gallon container, six weeks later. The plant produced a loose head and continues to produce side shoots. The shoots are not as sweet as broccoli, but I think they have a finer, more distinctive taste. The stalks are more tender than broccoli. We like them steamed. According to Fedco, they were trialed in California and survived 90 degree heat. So I've started more seeds this spring for summer harvest.
 
1 of 1 gardener found this review helpful.  

Reviewed on 01/22/2008 by ant - An experienced gardener

Overall Overall
Taste Taste
Yield Yield
Ease/Reliability Ease

Logan, Illinois, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day

I grew this first in 2007. It was easy to grow and produced great. It was earlier than my Arcadia broccoli. I was in love with it until my Arcadia came on and the Arcadia was much more tender and much sweeter. I would recommend a couple of these to tide you over until the main crop comes on.
 
1 of 1 gardener found this review helpful.  




Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners is a citizen science program, © 2004-2024, All Rights Reserved
Cornell Garden Based Learning, Cornell University College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Horticulture Section