Tenderstem Broccoli - can we grow it?

[froglets]

Hi All,

Last night I succumbed to the reduced bin at Sainsbury's and bought some Tenderstem broccoli on impulse.

I chucked it into the risotto & we loved it, great taste and it kept it's texture.  This would convince me to grow broccoli on the lottie but when I looked at the label I'm not so sure.

Tenderstem is copyrighted which is the first clue.  The blurb says:  bred from Chinese kale and traditional broccoli varieties.  It is grown in Eastern and Southern Africa to provide year round supply.

Does anyone know if this is something we can grow in the UK/North England?  Anyone seen any seeds?

Thanks

[froglets]

[cleo]

That sounds a bit like a marketing ploy to me. Chinese kale seeds are widely available and many forms of brocoli are `tender` if you pick it young.

[djbrenton]

If it's what I think it is, firstly you can grow it here and secondly I think it's supposed to grow with lots of very thin shoots that you cut and come again. It also tastes a little like asparagus.

It's higher in vitamin C and is supposed to be healthier.

[froglets]

Yes it was a bit like aspargus - so it's just ordinary broccoli but coppiced?

[djbrenton]

It doesn't grow large stems anyway, just lots of thin ones.

[froglets]

From John_Miller

A.K.A. Broccolini. It has been available over here for a while. Hasn't really taken off which is perhaps why it is now being sold in Europe?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broccolini
http://www.cnn.com/FOOD/key.ingredient/broccolini/
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-broccolini.htm

[jennym]

Variety sold as chinese greens, or chinese kale - Green lance is sold by Nickys nursery: http://www.nickys-nursery.co.uk/seeds/pages/altsal.htm is similar, as is one they sell as Broccoli Tender Green.
Suttons sell it as Broccoli Tendergreen : http://www.suttons.co.uk/pd_252072_Broccoli_Tendergreen_(Sprouting)_Plants.htm

AND before all you google addicts out there start getting worried, these varieties are hybrids, NOT a genetically modified product, and it DOES NOT contain rat genes, contrary to the mass of info available on the internet.

[froglets]

Thanks Jennym,  it's the Broccoli tender green.

And what an interesting catalogue - quick, call seeds anonymous, I'm in peril!