Broccolification

Broccolification refers to the extensive selective breeding of edible plants so that multiple underutilized parts become optimized for human consumption. 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. 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.

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.