Violetta Bok Choi (Brassica rapa 'Violetta')
BRASS-ih-kah rapa 'Violetta'

Annual (usually grown as an annual near you) Rosette in the Brassicaceae Family

Deep purple, glossy leaf tops contrast with bright green stems and undersides on this fast-growing bok choi, prized for baby greens and stir-fries alike.

Violetta is a purple-leaved bok choi (pak choi), a fast-growing Asian green in the Chinensis Group of Brassica rapa. Glossy violet-purple leaf tops contrast with bright green stems and leaf undersides, forming an upright rosette. It can be harvested as baby greens in about 30 days or grown on to a fuller head in 45-50 days.

Like other bok choi, it is a cool-season crop that bolts quickly in long days and summer heat, so it performs best as a spring or fall crop and responds well to the shortening days of autumn.

Pros

  • Fast to harvest -- baby greens ready in about 30 days
  • Striking purple-and-green coloring adds visual interest to edible beds and containers
  • Mild, tender flavor works raw in salads or quickly cooked in stir-fries and soups

Cons

  • Bolts quickly in heat, long days, or after a cold snap, turning bitter and unusable
  • Attractive to slugs and snails, which can shred young leaves
  • Short harvest window compared to longer-season vegetables
Highlights
  • Glossy purple leaf tops over bright green stems and undersides
  • Ready for baby-green harvest in about 30 days
  • Best grown as a quick spring or fall crop
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 12 - 18 inches tall. 8 - 12 inches wide.
Growth Rate Fast
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium
Zones 2a - 11b (Usually hardy to -50° F)
Tags Annual, Annual in Chicago, Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Wildlife, Colorful Foliage, Container, Edible Foliage, Edibles, Fall Annuals, Fast Growth Rate, Full Sun, Grown as Annuals, Grown For Attractive Foliage, Medium, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Popular For Fall, Vegetables
Bloom Period Rarely flowers (harvested before bolting)
Flower Color Yellow (rarely blooms; harvested before bolting)

Commonly Planted with...

Pairs well with other quick-maturing, cool-season crops such as lettuce, radishes, and other Asian greens, which share similar timing and growing conditions.
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 08/10 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 09/08

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


Estimated Recipe Cost

The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!