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*Brassica rapa Linnaeus. Turnip, Bird's-rape, Field Rape, Field Mustard, Bok-choy, Chinese Cabbage. Phen: Mar-Jun. Hab: Fields, disturbed areas. Dist: Native of Europe.

Origin/Endemic status: Eurasia

Taxonomy Comments: B. rapa is cultivated in a variety of forms, these sometimes given varietal rank, such as B. rapa var. chinensis (Linnaeus) Kitamura (Bok-choy or Pak-choi) and B. rapa var. amplexicaulis Tanaka & Ono (Chinese Cabbage). They are probably best regarded as cultivars.

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, F, FNA7, Il, Mi, NcTx, NE, NY, Pa, Tn, Al-Shehbaz (1985b), Rollins (1993); > Brassica campestris L. – G, GrPl, S, S13, Tat, Tx; > Brassica napus L. – RAB; > Brassica rapa L. – G, GrPl, Tx; > Brassica rapa L. var. amplexiaculis Tanaka & Ono; > Brassica rapa L. var. chinensis (L.) Kitam. – K4; > Brassica rapa L. var. rapa – K1, K3, K4, Va, WH3

Links to other floras: = Brassica rapa - FNA7

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: UPL
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: UPL
  • Great Plains: UPL
  • Midwest: UPL
  • Northcentral & Northeast: UPL

Heliophily ⓘ: 9

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image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Rob Gardner | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Rob Gardner | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Weedy annual of fields and disturbed areas. Native of Europe, now throughout North America.

Stems: Stems succulent, unbranched to branched above, mostly smooth, gray-green and white-waxy.

Leaves: Basal and lower leaves to 10 in. long, on winged petioles, pinnately divided into pairs of toothed lateral lobes and one larger terminal lobe; upper stem leaves smaller with clasping, ear-lobed bases.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers in erect-ascending terminal racemes that elongate as fruit matures, yellow, about ½ in. wide, consisting of 4 rounded petals, 4 sepals, several stamens, and a pistil; blooming successively up the stem.

Fruits: Fruit a linear, ascending pod with narrowed tip.

Comments: A widespread naturalized weed, Brassica rapa is widely cultivated as an oil crop and vegetable.

Height: 1-3 ft.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Weedy annual of fields and disturbed areas. Native of Europe, now throughout North America.

stems: Stems succulent, unbranched to branched above, mostly smooth, gray-green and white-waxy.

leaves: Basal and lower leaves to 10 in. long, on winged petioles, pinnately divided into pairs of toothed lateral lobes and one larger terminal lobe; upper stem leaves smaller with clasping, ear-lobed bases.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers in erect-ascending terminal racemes that elongate as fruit matures, yellow, about ½ in. wide, consisting of 4 rounded petals, 4 sepals, several stamens, and a pistil; blooming successively up the stem.

fruits: Fruit a linear, ascending pod with narrowed tip.

comments: A widespread naturalized weed, Brassica rapa is widely cultivated as an oil crop and vegetable.

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: Europe