Cruciferous Vegetables

"Cruciferous" comes from Cruciferae, the older name for the cabbage family (now Brassicaceae). It refers to the four petals of their flowers, which form a cross. Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, collards, kohlrabi, bok choy, mustard greens, arugula, watercress, radishes, turnips and rutabagas. Their sharp, peppery or sulfurous flavor comes from compounds called glucosinolates, which break down into mustard oils when the plant is cut or chewed. As a group they are good sources of vitamin C, vitamin K, folate and fiber.

In the garden they behave much alike: they are cool-season crops that share the same pests and diseases, so they should be rotated as one group. See Brassicaceae in the vegetable garden for timing, spacing and the pests they share, or start with broccoli, kale or cabbage.