Pak choi
Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis
Also called Bok choy
Garden plant · Herbs, veg & fruitSix weeks from sowing to the plate. Sow a short row every fortnight rather than one long one.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Easy
- Water
- Every 2 daysWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Sun, part shade in high summer
- Feed
- Every 21 days
- Humidity
- Average
- Hardiness
- Hardy — a cold winter RHS H5, to -15°C
- Size
- 0.3 m tall · 0.3 m across
- Lifecycle
- Annual
- Origin
- China
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsToxic to pets
Affects horses. Signs: stomach and gut irritation, with belly pain (colic).
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-07-31.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- A peppering of tiny round shot-holes across the first true leaves, and small dark beetles that spring away when your shadow falls on the row.Flea beetle · pest
- The centre of the rosette lengthens and the leaf stalks stand up stiff and narrow — a check from cold or dryness, and a flower stem follows within a fortnight.Bolting · disorder
- Holes eaten into the thick white leaf bases at ground level, where the rosette meets damp soil.Slugs and snails · pest