Napa cabbage
Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis
The crisp, barrel-shaped cabbage of kimchi and hot pot; sow in late summer so it heads in cool weather.
Hardiness: zones 4 to 9
Light: full sun
Size: about 1.5 ft tall, 1.5 ft wide
Harvest: September to November
From: N. China
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: food.
Native to: East Asia. Hardy in zones 4 to 9.
The story
Napa cabbage arose in northern China about six centuries ago from a cross of turnip and bok choy. Each November Korean families still gather for kimjang, salting and seasoning hundreds of heads into the winter's kimchi.
Planting
Full sun and rich soil. Sow in late summer so it matures in the cool of autumn.
Growing
Give it steady water and feed. It grows quickly once nights cool.
Harvest and use
Cut when the heads are firm. Use fresh, stir-fried, in soup, or ferment into kimchi.
What to watch for
Spring sowings bolt. Slugs, flea beetles and caterpillars find it.
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More annual vegetables, herbs and grains
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home