Nine Star Perennial Broccoli

As a trial we shared some nine star perennial broccoli seedlings last year.  After all, if it’s really perennial and really broccoli, that would be great!

Here are our results from year 1.

Philip's nine star perennial broccoli
Dom's nine star perennial broccoli

This is what Dom wrote about his :

Though not huge, my three plants have been looking v. healthy and growing well all winter. The largest is getting on for 3 feet, but the other two are smaller. Like you a couple of days ago I was poking around the foliage and there were loads of little white sprouting broccoli’s. Actually the biggest plant has a relatively large central head  2 -3 inches and several smaller side florets. The next largest has a small central floret but loads of small sprouts all around the stem, and the smallest of the three is not showing any sign of flowering at all yet. I had a taste straight off the plant and they where good. To me the taste was a bit like a cross between cauliflower and broccoli.

My plants produced similar white florets, and the taste was not quite cauliflower, not quite broccoli.  Stronger flavoured than cauliflower I’d say.  Pleasant though and no doubt full of goodness.   My plants were fairly small, maybe 18 inches to 2 foot tall, compared with purple sprouting broccoli plants of the same age which were 3 to 4 feet tall.  It will be interesting to see what the plants and florets are like in years 2, 3, 4 etc – will report again here next year.  So far I’d rename this plant ‘hopefully perennial sort of strong-flavoured small cauliflower’.

13 Replies to “Nine Star Perennial Broccoli”

  1. I have also grown this plant this year (planted 2011 for 2012)& it was very successful. The seed packet says to remove all flowers before end of year. Should I also remove all the leaves?

  2. I grew this in the early 1980’s in Devon having read “Hovel in the Hills”! Where did you get your seeds?

  3. Sorry, I forget, somewhere in the UK that I found online. Just do a web search I’m sure you’ll find it for sale.

  4. I would be happy to pay or trade for a bunch of 9 star broccoli seeds. I have a big dilemma though. I live in the United States in Texas. I am happy to pay using Paypal or whatever or trade for fresh Goji Seeds. These are having an awesome germination rate. The leaves and berries are edible. Hardy to zone 5-9, or pot indoors if colder. I am serious, thank you anybody :] Tony and Contessa Wilson

  5. Where o where can we get these seeds.. I’ve searched online in the UK and have come up zero. Terwins didn’t have them…

  6. Update after 2 years: I took my plants out last year as I didn’t think they justified the amount of space they were taking up! I almost wish I’d left them just to harvest and sell the seed each year, as it seems to be fairly hard to find in stock anywhere online!

  7. I am a molecular biologist and I am looking for perennial seed from any brassiccas ( broccoli, kale, ..) to do research on it in my laboratory. I would appreciate any help on where to buy the seed from. Many thanks!

    1. Hi Diana,

      It’s not too hard to find if you Google it. For example, I just found this supplier, but I’m sure there are others.
      https://www.victoriananursery.co.uk/Cauliflower_Plant_Cut_N_Come_Again/

      Edit: Oh sorry, actually they are selling plants, not seeds, as are the other links I found such as
      https://www.agroforestry.co.uk/product/nine-star-perennial-broccoli-brassica-oleracea%C2%85/

      However, since you are in Japan and doing research, they might send you seeds if you ask them.

      Peter

      Peter

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