Introduced as Broccolini a few years back it became quite popular.
http://www.wisegeek.org/what-i... . For years Mann produce had an exclusive contract with Sakata seed which developed Aspabroc. Competitors quickly jumped to develop alternative Gai lan - broccoli crosses. We now now have several varieties, each has its own characteristics. As of last year Aspabroc is now available to growers, other than those under contract to Mann.
Sakata has developed and patented several difficult crosses. A notable one is winter squash, a hybrid cross species Maxima x Moschata. Tetsukabuto is the variety best known in North America
