Tokyo Bekana

Latin name: Brassica rapa var. chinensis

🌱 Days to Sprout: 7-14

😋 Plant food: after true leaves 

✂️ Thin to: 1 plant per yCube

🍅 Days to Maturity: 45-55

💡 Light Zone: Maximum

📏 Plant Size: <1 ft

💚 Care Level: Beginner

A descendent of Chinese loose-heading cabbage introduced to Japan by soldiers returning home from war, Tokyo Bekana is cultivated for its ability to mature quickly and tolerate heat. For these reasons, the International Space Station chose Tokyo Bekana as one of its varieties in testing, leading to its nickname, “space cabbage”. 

Tokyo Bekana has frilly, lime-colored leaves with ruffled edges. It resembles lettuce in many ways with its mild flavor and delicate texture. However, it grows faster and won’t become bitter from hot temperatures. Tokyo Bekana is an excellent source of fiber and vitamins A, C, and K.

Enjoy this versatile green raw in salads and slaws, or cooked in stir-fries, soups, or steamed dishes. Tokyo Bekana is a great ingredient for adding extra crunch to dishes, and it makes a wonderful lettuce wrap.

✂️ Pruning: Check the roots monthly and trim any that are brown or extending past the yPod. Snip any yellow or brown leaves if they appear.

🥬 Harvest: For ongoing harvest, snip the outer leaves just above the base of the plant once they reach 4 inches tall to let the inner leaves continue to grow. Leave 1/3 of the plant if you want it to continue growing. To harvest the full head, wait until it reaches maturity, then harvest from the base.

Our Plant Health & Nutrition Team thoroughly tests each variety we offer to bring you the most flavorful and high-quality plants. We regularly rotate our plant portfolio, so please note, availability varies.