Field ManualAll plants

Photo: claralieu, via Wikimedia CommonsLicense: CC BY 2.0

Bok Choy

Brassica rapa

Family: BrassicaceaeOrigin: China

  • Leafy Green
  • Fast Maturing
  • Cool Season

Pet & Human Safety

People: No hazard foundPets: Not on the ASPCA lists as we read them
Human edibility
Edible
Edible parts
leaves, stems, flowers
Hazardous parts
No hazardous parts found.
Preparation
Not yet checked.
Hazard type
Not yet checked.
Hazard route
not applicable
How complete this information is
The safety information on this page is partial. Where a source covers a point, it is shown; where none does, the page says so.

Toxic to pets
No ASPCA entry found.

Not on the ASPCA cat or dog plant lists. NC State Extension's own plant database flags this species as a "problem for horses" specifically: a separate toxicity note from that source, not from ASPCA, and not extended to dogs or cats in that listing. A normal garden vegetable for dogs and cats as far as available sources show.

Poison control

If someone has collapsed, cannot be woken, is having a seizure or has trouble breathing, call 911 now. For any other possible poisoning, call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.

Emergency number source: U.S. federal law (47 U.S.C. § 251(e)(3)), read 2026-10-07.

Naturalist Lore

Historical Background & Breeding Lore

The history of this plant and its name, and how it was bred, where we have them.

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Care

Hardiness zones

Grown as a cool-season annual in all US zones; cold-tolerant enough for early spring or late fall plantings

Mature size

Space or thin plants to 6 in apart; ready in about 60 days from seed.

Soil & Drainage
Pruning & Flush Rhythm
Feeding Schedule

How to prepare the soil, when and what to feed, and how and when to prune where that applies.

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Anatomy & Guilds

Botanical Anatomy & Characteristics

How the flowers and leaves are built and which pollinators visit, where we have them.

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Field Doctor

Field Doctor

What can go wrong with this plant and what to do about it, where we have them.

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Vintage Plates

Vintage Plates

Old botanical drawings from public libraries are in the app, for plants where we have them.

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Sources

  1. NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, Brassica rapa Chinensis Group (Bok Choy)

How we choose sources

Wishlists live in the app

Wishlists are part of the Plot & Petal app, which is coming soon. Nothing is added to a wishlist from this page.

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