Fruits, Vegetables, Herbs
Red Choi pak choi
Brassica rapa (Chinensis Group) 'Red Choi'
Red Choi is an annual pak choi grown for its edible green stems and leaves that deepen from green with maroon veins to dark red or purple above. Its upright rosette brings distinct foliage color to a vegetable bed while supplying leaves and stems for harvest. Plants generally reach about 4 to 20 inches in both height and spread; this broad mature range describes an annual crop rather than a ten-year garden fixture. In Southwest Washington, grow it during cooler parts of the season in full sun and moist, well-drained loam. Keep soil steadily moist, especially as hot, dry weather can encourage bolting.
Ask about this plantAt a glance
- Mature height
- About 4–20 inches
- Mature spread
- About 4–20 inches
- Light
- Full sun
- Hardiness
- Annual crop; grow in cool seasons
The right plant, the right place
Make room for something good.
The upright rosettes add red-purple foliage to a vegetable bed. Grow them for edible leaves and green stems.
Where to plant
Choose a spot in full sun with room for the mature rosettes. Keep plants where you can check young leaves for pest damage.
Through the seasons
Young leaves show green and maroon veining; mature leaves turn dark red to purple above and remain green beneath. Harvest the edible foliage and stems during the cool growing season.
Southwest Washington gardens
Give it a good start.
Cooler spring and autumn growing periods suit pak choi in Southwest Washington. Hot, dry spells can encourage bolting and shorten the leafy harvest.
Soil, drainage & water
Plant in moist, well-drained loam. Maintain steady soil moisture during growth, particularly when conditions turn dry.
A little care goes a long way
Growing well, season after season.
Grow Red Choi as an annual leafy crop. Expect maturity in roughly 45 days from seed under suitable conditions, though timing may vary locally.
Know what to look for
Common growing concerns.
Symptoms can have more than one cause. These notes are a starting point for observing your plant and improving its growing conditions.
Flea beetles
Small round holes in leaves, especially on young plants.
Help your plant thrive
Keep nearby weeds under control and inspect young plants.
Cabbage maggot
Root or underground stem tunnels followed by yellowing, stunting, wilting, or soft rot.
Help your plant thrive
Place floating row covers before adult flies emerge, using ground without a known prior infestation. Avoid replanting susceptible crops where cabbage maggots occurred the previous year.
A little more inspiration
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Vaccinium parvifolium
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Vaccinium ovatum 'Scarlet Ovation'
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Explore this plantGood gardens start with a conversation
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