Is Broccoli A Flower, Fruit or Vegetable?

When people ask is broccoli a flower, fruit, or vegetable they usually refer to broccoli heads and not the plant as a whole. So I am also referring to broccoli heads as broccoli in this post. 

Just remember Broccoli plant as a whole is a green edible plant of the mustard family. You can learn more about growing broccoli plants in this post.

So coming back to the topic, ever wonder what broccoli really is a fruit, vegetable, or a flower? Well, you are not alone, in this post I will try to give you the answer to that question.

Broccoli is a flower but it is not like other flowers, it is green in color. the part that we called broccoli is actually the flower head of the plant. The word broccoli itself means “the flowering crest of a cabbage”.

The confusion about fruit, flower, and vegetables is caused mostly due to this color specialization.

Let’s begin…

Is Broccoli a Vegetable?

Vegetables are the parts of the plants we eat, either raw or cooked. Broccoli is an edible plant, And we eat mostly the stem and the head(commonly known as the broccoli). 

So according to this, broccoli is definitely a vegetable because you can cook and eat them. 

Interestingly, the term “Vegetable” is not a valid explanation for the edible part of a plant. This is more for common usage. 

Technically the edible part can be a root, a stem, a fruit or a flower. Now as you know the broccoli head doesn’t grow under the ground and also does not shows the characteristics of a stem we can definitely say broccoli is neither a root nor a stem. 

So, the next question would be, is it a fruit or a flower?

Let’s dig deeper…

Is Broccoli A Fruit?

Botanically speaking, a fruit is a structure of a plant that holds the seeds and pulp. But broccoli does not fall under this category. You won’t find any seed in a broccoli head. So, you can not call broccoli a fruit.

Fruit can be fleshy or not but it has to have seeds in them to be technically called a fruit. Although broccoli plants produce seeds that are not inside the broccoli heads. So you can say with certainty that A Broccoli is not a fruit.

Is Broccoli a Flower?

Broccoli is a flower, but it’s more similar to what many people consider vegetables. Unlike most flowers in this world, it is green in color. The broccoli is nothing but the flowering head of the plant.  

Even if you look at their name, the word broccoli itself means “the flowering crest of a cabbage”.

The flower head is the part of a broccoli plant that you usually eat, consisting of small florets. 

The mature broccoli head is usually bright green in color till harvesting. As a matter of fact, if you don’t harvest it soon enough the flowers on the head will bloom bright yellow.

A broccoli plant has both male and female flowers. but they can not self-pollinate and need help from bees to complete fertilization.

Other Common Plants That Are Also Flowers:

Now broccoli is not the only flower that is edible, there are others too. Here are two more edible vegetables that you might not know are actually flowers. 

Cauliflower:

All cauliflowers are flowers really, but unlike broccoli, cauliflower doesn’t develop any actual flowers. 

Cauliflowers and broccoli are both members of the brassica family and their flowering stems and inflorescences are similar. But cauliflowers only produce replicas of the flower on its flanks and no flowers like broccoli.

Artichoke:

The artichoke, with its delicate flavor and appearance, is a vegetable that is loved the world over. But technically artichokes are flowers. 

In fact, each little “flower” that we eat is a flower bud that has yet to bloom. When fully mature, hundreds of delicate purple petals burst open for a colorful display.

We have a whole list of 12 edible flowers that you can use in your cuisine. For more examples see that post.

Nutritional Value of Broccoli:

Broccoli is a flowering vegetable with high nutrition values. It is a great source of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, iron, and potassium. 

Unfortunately, once it flowers, broccoli will not offer you many health benefits. It’s not toxic, but it tastes bitter.

Bolting in Broccoli:

When broccoli gets too hot, it will bolt or start to flower. It is not the hot air temperature but hot soil that causes broccolis to bolt. So the best way you can delay the bolting in broccoli is by keeping the soil temperature relatively cooler.

Tips To Prevent Broccoli From Bolting:

There are a few things you can do to prevent broccoli from bolting.

• Water more frequently. Cold water keeps the soil cooler.
• A thick layer of mulch will help keep the roots cool and prevent early bolting.
• Use row covers to prevent direct sunlight from reaching the plant and soil nearby. It will delay the flowering process significantly.
• Harvest your broccolis early and frequently. Once you harvest the main head smaller head will pop up later.

To sum it up, Broccoli is a flower and vegetable and not a fruit. It should not be of much concern though, because you are going to eat them anyway. Another thing you can do is to try growing broccolis in the garden. We have some quality information about that too.

I hope you learn something new from this post. If you want to know more about Broccolis visit this link.