Broccolification

Broccolification refers to the extensive selective breeding of edible plants so that multiple underutilized parts become optimized for human consumption.^[1] The most notable example of broccolification is Brassica oleracea, whose separate components have been bred by humans into culinary vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, and kale.^[2] Other examples include Raphanus sativus, wherein Shunkyo radishes have been undergone selective breeding to optimize the flavor and texture of the edible leaves rather than simply the root. ^[3]

The term was coined in a botanical context in 2026 by phytobiology student Savannah Butler during her description of the cultivation of Rumex vesicarius, a wild member of the rhubarb family native to North Africa and West Asia.