In an effort to catch up with my plantings, I purchased half a dozen broccoli plants the other day. Or so I thought. Apparently, broccoli leaves and Bok choy, also known as Chinese cabbage, look very similar. Too similar–for my aging eyes, anyway. It wasn’t until I was sitting in my garden merrily planting away that I realized my error.

Bok Choy or Broccoli

Bok choy? I honed in the label for a second time. What?! I bought broccoli, not Bok choy! No one in my family eats this stuff. They eat broccoli. Broccoli!

Maybe they stuck the wrong label in the plants. (Translated: Maybe they’re confused, and not me.)

Ugh. Dressed and poised dig in the dirt, there was no way I was returning to the seed store for an exchange. I was in the garden, ready to plant. So I planted.

Companion Planting

The good news? Much like broccoli, Bok choy makes a fine companion for sweet onions. Both members of the brassica family, these plants get along like bees and honey, worms and dirt. But what do I tell the family when it shows up on their dinner plate? While I probably can’t pass this veggie off as cabbage, perhaps I can stash some of the leaves in a salad? Add it to their favorite chicken teriyaki stir-fry?

Hmph. Seems someone is going to have to get creative! Maybe I can woo them with the health benefits. Bok choy is packed with Vitamin A, C and K. Plus, it tastes like cabbage and everyone likes sautéed cabbage!