Bold Broccoli Varieties Growers Need To Check Out
Is your farm operation in need of new and different broccoli varieties to round out your crop portfolio? Scan the photo gallery below for a selection of fresh choices from leading seed breeders and distributors.
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Abrams (Seminis)
‘Abrams’ features a dark-green crown with vigorous plant, which holds the head up well. Grows well in the west, and is an early-to-mid season favorite!
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Castle Dome (Seminis)
A heat-loving hybrid that is fast-maturing in desert regions of the Southwestern U.S. ‘Castle Dome’ displays cold vigor, allowing for later plantings (in early season slots).
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Eastern Crown (Seedway)
‘Eastern Crown’ is very heat tolerant, keeping its’ attractive, dark-green color in hot weather. It matures early and holds in the field extremely well. Matures in 58 days.
https://www.seedway.com/product/eastern-crown-broccoli-treated-seed/
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Emerald Crown (Sakata Seed America, Gowan Seed Company, Rupp Seeds)
Disease package: Pp
‘Emerald Crown’ was specifically bred for high quality and high yield crown cuts and short trim. Very uniform, tight heads with blue-green beads. ‘Emerald Crown’ has a growing season that is warm to cool (not for rainy season). Southeast growing region, and adaptable. Matures in 62 to 65 days.
https://sakatavegetables.com/vegetable/broccoli/emerald-crown/
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Gypsy 1 (Sakata Seed America, Harris Seeds / Garden Trends Inc.)
IR: Pp
Good heat tolerance and holding ability make ‘Gypsy’ a winner for spring plantings. Vigorous, uniform plants yield smooth-dome heads. The eye-catching medium-green color and medium-small beads make it a standout for fresh market bunching, or crown cut. Matures in 68 days.
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Imperial F1 (Sakata Seed America, Harris Seeds / Garden Trends Inc.)
‘Imperial’ produces high quality tight, dome-shaped heads, with small, dark-green beads. Excellent post-harvest holding ability that work well for bunching and crown cut. It’s a great long-day growing performer. Matures in 85 days.
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Kariba RZ (Rijk Zwaan)
HR: Foc: (1)
‘Kariba RZ’ is an early-mid maturing multi-use hybrid. It produces a uniform, heavy curd, and strong against hollow stem. Early winter desert harvest, as well as spring and late-autumn, coastal California harvest period, for optimal quality. Matures in 65 to 75 days, (depending on growing conditions).
https://www.rijkzwaanusa.com/find-your-variety/broccoli/kariba-rz
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Kingdom (Sakata Seed America)
‘Kingdom’ has good crown quality for such an early performer. It has a medium-sized plant and lower head position. Ideal for the Northeast summer-fall harvest slots, and early winter harvesting, in the Desert Southwest.
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Millennium (Sakata Seed America, Rupp Seeds)
‘Millennium’ is a highly adaptable, crown-cut variety. It yields high-domed heads, with very small beads, and exceptional mature, uniform heads. Good tolerance to heat and less side shoots. It is anthocyanin-free and has strong, post-harvest color retention.
https://www.ruppseeds.com/vegetables/products/broccoli/millennium
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Monty (Johnny's Selected Seeds)
‘Monty’ has shown superior heat tolerance (under warm summer conditions, in New England). It performs well under variable weather conditions. The heads are well-domed and bright green. Good adaptability, and matures in 56 days.
https://www.johnnyseeds.com/vegetables/broccoli/standard-broccoli/monty-f1-broccoli-seed-4405.html
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Red Admiral F1 (Osborne Quality Seeds)
‘Red Admiral’ is a purple sprouting hybrid. Ideal for the late-winter to early-spring slot. Example, seed mid-June and transplant into the field mid-July, these large-framed plants and a yield of two flushes (starting mid-to-late February). The long, semi-leaved stems with bright purple florets, withstood many nights below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and were easy to bunch or sell as florets.
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Red Fire F1 (Osborne Quality Seeds)
‘Red Fire’ is a purple sprouting hybrid. It follows a harvest succession, after ‘Red Admiral’. An example, seed in mid-June, transplant in mid-July, and a yield of two flushes (starting early March). Long, semi-leaved stems with bright purple florets withstood many nights below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and were easy to bunch, or sell as florets. An easy plant for winter and overwintering.
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Tahoe RZ (Rijk Zwaan)
‘Tahoe RZ’ is a high-yielding hybrid that performs best under cool-to-warm conditions. The high-domed head is smooth, dense and excellent for crowns. It produces uniform small-to-medium beads, and is an attractive, dark-green hue. Ideal for coastal California, and grows in 60 to 70 days, (depending on growing conditions).
https://www.rijkzwaanusa.com/find-your-variety/broccoli/tahoe-rz
View all
Abrams (Seminis)
Castle Dome (Seminis)
Eastern Crown (Seedway)
Emerald Crown (Sakata Seed America, Gowan Seed Company, Rupp Seeds)
Gypsy 1 (Sakata Seed America, Harris Seeds / Garden Trends Inc.)
Imperial F1 (Sakata Seed America, Harris Seeds / Garden Trends Inc.)
Kariba RZ (Rijk Zwaan)
Kingdom (Sakata Seed America)
Millennium (Sakata Seed America, Rupp Seeds)
Monty (Johnny's Selected Seeds)
Red Admiral F1 (Osborne Quality Seeds)
Red Fire F1 (Osborne Quality Seeds)
Tahoe RZ (Rijk Zwaan)
Disease Abbreviation Key
- Foc Fusarium, caused by fungus Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.congutinans
- HR High Resistance
- IR Intermediate Resistance
- Pp Downy mildew, caused by Peronospora parasitica, also known as Hyaloperonospora brassicae, a fungal-like water mold
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Carol Miller is the editor of American Vegetable Grower, a Meister Media Worldwide publication. See all author stories here.