Cross Pollination Question

[lillgardnr]

OK, I feel a little silly asking this, but here I go... this is the first year that I have grown broccoli, cabbage and brussels sprouts, and was wondering if they have cross pollinated...the thing is that I left the broccoli to flower, the the others started to look similar to broccoli???...here are a few photos...please take a look and tell me what you think.. because I haven't grown any of these before I'm really not sure what they should look like...
[img]https://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t285/nabes1/PICT1309.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t285/nabes1/PICT1310.jpg[/img]
above is just one of the cabbages. the others aren't in containers and are all doing the same thing.
[img]https://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t285/nabes1/PICT1307.jpg[/img]
happy easter all
[img]https://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t285/nabes1/PICT1306.jpg[/img]
these are the brussels sprouts
any ideas

[Gnome]

lillgardnr,

I'm not sure how much help I can be but here are a few facts that may shed a little light. Cabbages, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Kale and Kohlrabies are all actually different forms of the same plant. So it is not surprising that your specimens show some similarity.

Cross pollination will not effect the appearance of the current seasons crop. The effect of any crosses will not be apparent until you plant this crops seeds and allow those plants to develop.

These plants are biennial which means that they require two seasons to grow and produce seed. If your Cabbage is flowering I would assume it must be in it's second year. Have you overwintered them from last year?

Sorry I can't be of more assistance, I'm sure someone else will come along. I'd be interested to see what others have to say.

Norm

[lillgardnr]

lillgardnr,

.

These plants are biennial which means that they require two seasons to grow and produce seed. If your Cabbage is flowering I would assume it must be in it's second year. Have you overwintered them from last year?



Norm

thanks for your response ... I planted all of them last fall... the broccoli was the only thing the looked ready to harvest...but I just wasn't quick enough

[canuck]

Hello,

I could be wrong but I think that your plant has just gone to seed.
Carrots, potatoes, rubarb and spinach just to name a few all look simalar to this when they go to seed.

[opabinia51]

Looks exactly like Brocoli to me. If you planted all those plants together they would not cross pollinate and produce wierd seeds because they are different species that belong to the same plant (Kingdom) family.

Okay, here we go!

Kingdom Plantae
Division
Class
Order
Family Brassicaceae
Genus
Species

Anyway, only like species can exchange genetic information to produce viable offspring. In theory you could get a sterile plant from a genetic cross but, you plant to me just looks like a broccoli that has bolted on you.

Still really good to eat though. Great is salads, lovely just steamed. Wonderful in stirfries and good grilled or baked as well with some nice oil like Olive, peanut or what have you. And full of nutrients. VERY HEALTHY!!

[Gnome]

Opa,

It's good to have you back with us.

If you planted all those plants together they would not cross pollinate and produce wierd seeds because they are different species

As strange as it may seem the plants I listed above are all indeed different cultivars of the same species, [url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?id=3712]Brassica oleracea[/url] and cross pollination is possible between some, if not all, of those varieties.

A quote from this page:
[url]https://www.geocities.com/habbage/information.html[/url]

Cauliflower readily hybridises with related cabbage varieties to form interesting novelties, such as the Broccoflower, a hybrid of cauliflower and broccoli, which has light green florets (as in brocoli) packed into a round head (as in cauliflower).

I was surprised as well when I first learned of this.

Norm

[lillgardnr]

Looks exactly like Brocoli to me.
!!

above I didn't include any the photos of the broccoli, just Brussels sprouts and cabbage. most the broccoli are flowers.
this is what my rows looked like in January.
[img]https://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t285/nabes1/rows.jpg[/img]
this is what they look like today.
from left to right, red cabbage, green cabbage, brussel sprouts,& broccoli.
[img]https://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t285/nabes1/PICT1305.jpg[/img]
this is the flowering broccoli ...
[img]https://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t285/nabes1/PICT1308.jpg[/img]
they are fun is salad, and taste like sweet broccoli. even my son who hates broccoli loves them

[opabinia51]

I agree, I love to eat the bolted plants and they are good in salads. They are also really nice lightly steemed in one of those bamboo steamers that you can buy.

Hi Norm,

I realize that plants of differnet species can cross hybridize; I am wondering though whether or not the offspirng would (ie. the seeds) would be viable. Have you heard anything about this?

Is brocoflower a natural hybridization or is it genetically engineered?

[Gnome]

Opa,

I realize that plants of differnet species can cross hybridize

The point is that they're all the same species. [url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?id=3712]Brassica oleracea[/url]

Norm

[MaineDesigner]

Thanks, Gnome! That is really interesting. I knew they all belonged to the same genus but I would have thought they were completely different species.

[Gnome]

MaineDesigner,

It is surprising isn't it? I guess you can attribute it to centuries of Human intervention. Look at the variability in Dogs and Cats.

Norm

[opabinia51]

Ahhh, thanks G-nome!

[Gnome]

Opa,


Ha, ha G-nome, I get it.

Norm

[opabinia51]

Yes, I always pronounce the silent letters in words.... adds a bit of..... well, goofiness.

There is a store here called better Gnomes and Gardens but, I call it Better G-nomes and G-nardens. Even added a letter in that one.

[Gnome]

Opa,

Considering the topic we were discussing I though it was a play on the word genome.

Norm