Are kohlrabi and cabbage the same vegetable?

Kohlrabi generally refers to cabbage, but in some places kohlrabi refers to a vegetable whose scientific name is mustard. So you could say kohlrabi is cabbage, or you could say it is not. Below let us get to know the cabbage and mustard that are both called “kohlrabi”.

1. Cabbage

1. Basic information

Cabbage, also known as cauliflower, head cabbage, lotus white (Yunnan), and kohlrabi, is an annual or biennial herbaceous plant, used as a vegetable and as feed. The concentrated juice of the leaves is used to treat gastric and duodenal ulcers. It is one of the important vegetables in China.

2. Growth habits

Cabbage likes mild, humid conditions and ample sunlight. It is relatively cold-tolerant and also has the ability to adapt to high temperatures. The optimum growth temperature is 15-20°C. If the fleshy stem swelling period encounters high temperatures above 30°C, the flesh is prone to becoming fibrous. It is not very strict about soil choice, but it is suitable for planting in clay loam or sandy loam rich in humus. Cabbage seedlings must pass through vernalization at 0-10°C, and then under long-day conditions and suitable temperatures bolt, flower, and set fruit.

2. Mustard

1. Basic information

Mustard, also known as gai choy, mustard, and gua cai, is also called kohlrabi in some regions. It is an annual herbaceous plant of the genus Brassica, reaching up to 150 cm in height. It is cultivated throughout China. The leaves are salted for food; the seeds and the whole plant are used medicinally, able to resolve phlegm and calm panting, and to reduce swelling and relieve pain; the seeds are ground into powder called mustard, used as a seasoning; the oil pressed out is called mustard oil; it is an excellent honey-source plant.

2. Growth habits

Mustard likes a cool, humid environment, avoids heat and drought, is not tolerant of frost, and needs relatively strong light conditions. Budding, bolting, flowering, and seed setting require passing through low-temperature vernalization and long-day conditions. Its root system is well developed, with main and lateral roots distributed in about the top 30 cm of soil. It likes fertilizer and has a relatively large demand for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers. Mustard has a relatively short growth period, about 30 days from sowing to harvest, and it can be harvested when it has 10-12 leaves.

Therefore, in some places kohlrabi is cabbage, while in other places kohlrabi is not cabbage but mustard.