Rosette Tatsoi is a glorious looking vegetable.
It looks like art, and tastes like a deep green feast for your body. Rosette Tatsoi is a specialty type of Tatsoi that has darker, glossier, more savoyed green leaves compared to other tatsoi and lays flatter to the ground in a beautiful rosette pattern. It also has a richer taste–sweet, salty, with a mild mustard taste.
Tatsoi originates in Central China where it has been cultivated for at least 1,400 years. What is the difference between Tatsoi and Bok Choy/Pak Choy? Tatsoi is a specialty type of Bok Choy/Pak Choy (called ‘Wu ta cai’ in Mandarin; ‘Tatsoi’ is its more familiar name in Japanese). Gardeners today benefit from centuries of selection that have developed this leafy green into a nutrient-dense powerhouse. You don’t need to eat too much Tatsoi to reap its benefits. For instance, 100g of Tatsoi leafy greens contains:
- 210 milligrams of calcium, which is more than an equal serving of milk (which has 113 milligrams/100g)
- More Vitamin C than oranges when comparisons of equal servings (100g) are made
- Over 100% of the Daily Value recommendation of Vitamin A
- Data calculated by HealWithFood.org using the ‘Daily Values for Nutrients’ provided by USDA
Also, Tatsoi is very cold tolerant and has survived nights down to -10 °C (14 °F) in our winter garden (under a row cover of fleece and then plastic over top).
How to Plant: Plant Tatsoi in spring and fall. Plant in May (for early summer harvests) and then again in late July/early August (for fall harvests). Tatsoi is ready in about 50 days from seed. Seed Depth: 5mm or 1/4 inch; Plant Spacing: 8 inches
How to Use: This excellent tasting Tatosi is perfect for fresh eating and also in a stir-fry or soup. Use anywhere greens are called for.
