# Bok choy (小白菜)
**Bok choy** (小白菜), also spelled pak choi or pak choy, is a non-heading Chinese cabbage, *Brassica rapa* subsp. *chinensis*, grown for its dark green leaves and thick, crisp white or light green stalks[1](https://extension.umn.edu/garden-and-home/yard-and-garden/gardening-in-minnesota/growing-chinese-cabbage-and-bok-choy). The English name comes from [Cantonese](https://www.edgepedia.org/cantonese); in Chinese the vegetable is called Shanghai Qing, Qingjiang Cai, or Xiaoqing Cai, and sometimes "spoon cabbage" or "Chinese chard" for its spoon-shaped petioles[2](https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1337). It has been cultivated in China for well over a thousand years and remains a staple leafy vegetable across East and Southeast Asia[1](https://extension.umn.edu/garden-and-home/yard-and-garden/gardening-in-minnesota/growing-chinese-cabbage-and-bok-choy).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | *Brassica rapa* subsp. *chinensis* (Pak Choi Group); synonyms include *Brassica chinensis*[3](https://lod.nal.usda.gov/nalt-taxon/en/page/?uri=https%3A%2F%2Flod.nal.usda.gov%2Fnalt%2F19355) |
| Plant form | Upright, non-heading clump of dark green leaves on very thick white or light green stalks[1](https://extension.umn.edu/garden-and-home/yard-and-garden/gardening-in-minnesota/growing-chinese-cabbage-and-bok-choy) |
| Nutrition (raw, per 100 g) | 13 kcal, 1.5 g protein, 1.0 g fiber, 105 mg calcium, 45 mg vitamin C, 4468 IU vitamin A[4](https://plantuse.plantnet.org/en/Brassica_rapa_%28PROTA%29) |
| Growing temperature | Best at 64–68°F (18–20°C); tolerates 27°F (−3°C) to 95°F (35°C)[2](https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1337) |
| Time to harvest | 40–50 days after seeding, at the 10–15 leaf stage[2](https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1337) |
| Storage | 1–2 days at room temperature; 5 or more days refrigerated at 39°F (4°C)[2](https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1337) |
| Main market region | China, Japan, and Southeast Asia, where Chinese cabbage and pakchoi are leading vegetables grown on more than 500,000 ha[4](https://plantuse.plantnet.org/en/Brassica_rapa_%28PROTA%29) |
## Botany and names
Bok choy belongs to the species *Brassica rapa*, the same plant that gives turnips, napa cabbage, mizuna, and turnip greens. Within the species it is the Chinensis or Pak Choi Group, which produces a loose rosette of leaves with enlarged, flattened, fleshy petioles rather than a head[4](https://plantuse.plantnet.org/en/Brassica_rapa_%28PROTA%29). [Napa cabbage](https://www.edgepedia.org/napa-cabbage) is the sibling variety, *B. rapa* var. *pekinensis*, which forms a tall, dense, barrel-shaped head of pale, crinkled leaves[1](https://extension.umn.edu/garden-and-home/yard-and-garden/gardening-in-minnesota/growing-chinese-cabbage-and-bok-choy) • [5](https://scienceinsights.org/what-is-bok-choy-similar-to-vegetables-compared/). The two are often confused because "Chinese cabbage" is used loosely for both, and because the name bok choy itself simply combines the Cantonese words for "white" and "vegetable"[5](https://scienceinsights.org/what-is-bok-choy-similar-to-vegetables-compared/).
Two forms dominate in North American markets. Regular bok choy has ruffled dark green leaves and bright white stalks; Shanghai bok choy has smooth, oval leaves and is light green from leaf to stalk[6](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/napa-cabbage-vs-bok-choy-explained). Cultivar descriptions also distinguish large types, medium Shanghai types with green petioles, and white-petiole "milk" types[7](https://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/download.php?strPubID=FS1113).
## Nutrition and culinary use
Raw bok choy is a low-energy, high-water food: per 100 g it supplies 95.3 g water, 13 kcal, 1.5 g protein, 105 mg calcium, 45 mg vitamin C, and 4468 IU of vitamin A[4](https://plantuse.plantnet.org/en/Brassica_rapa_%28PROTA%29). Its abundant crude fiber and riboflavin have been linked in the nutrition literature to cardiovascular benefit, and its retinol (vitamin A) content to eye health[2](https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1337).
In the kitchen the stalks and leaves cook at different speeds, so recipes often give the chopped stems a head start before adding the leaves. Common preparations are stir-frying with garlic or chili, simmering in soup, and instant-boiling in hotpot; it also pairs with oyster sauce, mushrooms, squid, or bacon[2](https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1337). Compared with napa cabbage, bok choy has a more mineral, slightly mustardy flavor and a sturdier stem, while napa is sweeter, more tender, and the standard choice for kimchi and dumpling fillings[5](https://scienceinsights.org/what-is-bok-choy-similar-to-vegetables-compared/) • [8](https://www.umamicart.com/blog/2026/06/24/what-is-napa-cabbage/).
## Growing
Bok choy is a cool-season crop. It grows best at 18–20°C but tolerates a wide range, from −3°C to 35°C, which lets subtropical and temperate regions grow it year-round[2](https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1337). In Minnesota it is treated as a fall crop, sown directly in July in fertile, moisture-retentive soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5, and it needs steady water and nutrient uptake during growth[1](https://extension.umn.edu/garden-and-home/yard-and-garden/gardening-in-minnesota/growing-chinese-cabbage-and-bok-choy). Long days or temperature extremes trigger bolting, in which flowers form instead of leaves[9](https://www.usbg.gov/sites/default/files/images/bok_choy_science_page.pdf).
The crop matures quickly. Commercial harvest comes 40–50 days after seeding, when plants carry 10 to 15 leaves and are cut at the soil surface; harvests left past this stage develop a bitter taste[2](https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1337). Home gardeners can instead pick outer leaves one at a time for a continuous harvest[10](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/brassica-rapa-chinensis-group/). Major pests and diseases include aphids, cabbage caterpillars, leaf blight, and downy mildew, the last two favored by hot, wet summer weather[2](https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1337).
## Postharvest handling
Bok choy is delicate after cutting. Freshly harvested plants keep 1 to 2 days at room temperature and 5 or more days refrigerated at 4°C[2](https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1337). Although the vegetable produces ethylene at a relatively low rate, it is sensitive to the gas, and its tender tissues are prone to physical injury during harvest; soilborne pathogens can also cause infection during storage[11](https://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/produce-facts-sheets/bok-choy).
## References
1. [Growing Chinese cabbage and bok choy in home gardens, UMN Extension](https://extension.umn.edu/garden-and-home/yard-and-garden/gardening-in-minnesota/growing-chinese-cabbage-and-bok-choy)
2. [HS1337: Bok Choy, an Asian Leafy Green Vegetable Emerging in Florida, UF/IFAS](https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1337)
3. [NAL Agricultural Thesaurus: Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis, USDA](https://lod.nal.usda.gov/nalt-taxon/en/page/?uri=https%3A%2F%2Flod.nal.usda.gov%2Fnalt%2F19355)
4. [Brassica rapa (PROTA), Pl@ntUse](https://plantuse.plantnet.org/en/Brassica_rapa_%28PROTA%29)
5. [What Is Bok Choy Similar To? Vegetables Compared, ScienceInsights](https://scienceinsights.org/what-is-bok-choy-similar-to-vegetables-compared/)
6. [Napa Cabbage vs. Bok Choy: What's the Difference? MasterClass](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/napa-cabbage-vs-bok-choy-explained)
7. [Bok Choys (Chinese Cabbages), Rutgers NJAES](https://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/download.php?strPubID=FS1113)
8. [What Is Napa Cabbage? The Complete Guide, Umamicart](https://www.umamicart.com/blog/2026/06/24/what-is-napa-cabbage/)
9. [Chinese Cabbage and Bok Choy Science Page, US Botanic Garden](https://www.usbg.gov/sites/default/files/images/bok_choy_science_page.pdf)
10. [Brassica rapa Chinensis Group, NC Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/brassica-rapa-chinensis-group/)
11. [Bok Choy (Pak Choi, Pok Choi), UC Davis Postharvest Research and Extension Center](https://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/produce-facts-sheets/bok-choy)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Life and health › Plants and algae › Seed plants › Other flowering plants › Rosids › Malpighiales, Myrtales, and Brassicales › Brassicales*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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