Broccoli | Description, Nutrition, & Facts - Encyclopedia Britannica

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External Websites

• Clemson Cooperative Extension - Home and Garden Information Center - Broccoli
• DigitalCommons at USU - Broccoli in the Garden (PDF)
• University of Minnesota Extension - Growing broccoli in home gardens
• Iowa State University Extension - Yard and Garden - Growing Broccoli in the Home Garden
• Healthline - Top 14 Health Benefits of Broccoli
• Cleveland Clinic - 5 Health Benefits of Broccoli
• West Virginia University Extension - Growing Broccoli for Beginners
• Live Science - Broccoli: Health Benefits, Risks & Nutrition Facts
• National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Broccoli: A Multi-Faceted Vegetable for Health: An In-Depth Review of Its Nutritional Attributes, Antimicrobial Abilities, and Anti-inflammatory Properties
• PlantVillage - Broccoli
• WebMD - Broccoli - Uses, Side Effects, and More
• Royal Horticultural Society - How to grow Broccoli
• CellPress - Plant Communications - A graph-based pan-genome of Brassica oleracea provides new insights into its domestication and morphotype diversification (PDF)
• Ohio State University Extension - Ohioline - Raspberries for the Home Fruit Planting
• Colorado State University - College of Health and Human Sciences - Food Source Information - Broccoli

Britannica Websites Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

• broccoli - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
• broccoli - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

broccoli plant Ask Anything Homework Help Also known as: Brassica oleracea, variety italica Written and fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Jan. 10, 2026 •History Britannica AI Ask Anything Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask Anything

broccoli, form of cabbage, of the mustard family (Brassicaceae), grown for its edible flower buds and stalk. Native to the eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor, sprouting broccoli was cultivated in Italy in ancient Roman times and was introduced to England and America in the 1700s. High in dietary fibre and a number of vitamins and minerals, including potassium, folic acid, and vitamins A, C, and K, broccoli is a nutritious vegetable and can be eaten fresh or cooked. Fresh broccoli should be dark green in colour, with firm stalks and compact bud clusters.

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Broccoli is a fast-growing annual plant that grows 60–90 cm (24–35 inches) tall. Upright and branching with leathery leaves, broccoli bears dense green clusters of flower buds at the ends of the central axis and the branches. If left unharvested, those buds bear yellow flowers with four petals and produce silique fruits (a dry capsule). Broccoli thrives in moderate to cool climates and is propagated by seeds, either sown directly in the field or in plant beds to produce transplants. The heads, or florets, reach harvest in 60 to 150 days, depending upon the variety and the weather.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.