The Brassicaceae family, also called the cabbage family, is a large plant family that includes edible, herbal, and non-herbal members.
The term "Brassica" is often used for members of this family, as it is a shortened version of the family name. But this term is sometimes used to refer to the entire family and, other times, used to refer only to varieties of the Brassica oleracea species like broccoli, kale, and cabbage while excluding arugula, stocks, and other plants that belong to the family but not this specific species.
Most uses of "Brassica" or "Brassicas" on Plant to Plate refer to the entire family unless otherwise noted.
A unique aspect of Brassicaceae-family plants is that typically the entire plant is edible, including aerial parts and roots. Of course, the practicality of edibility can vary by plant, as some roots may be too thin or some stems too tough to make consumption practical. But this certainly cannot be said of most other families such as the Solanaceae and Apiaceae families, for example, both of which include some highly toxic members.
Knowing which family a plant belongs to can help you make decisions about crop rotation, companion planting, and other aspects of garden planning.
The Brassicaceae members we have covered so far are as follows, with more being added all the time: