Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera
Brussels sprouts are small, dense cabbage buds that grow along a tall stalk. Their flavor is more assertive and nuttier than head cabbage.1
They are close relatives of cabbage, kale, broccoli, and cauliflower—all different cultivated forms of Brassica oleracea. Like those vegetables, they contain glucosinolates, sulfur-rich compounds involved in brassica defense chemistry.2
The individual sprouts are axillary buds: compact heads that form where leaves meet the main stalk. They tolerate several moderate freezes in Maine.3
Glucosinolate chemistry is not evenly distributed through a sprout. The young center has especially active flavor-forming enzymes and high concentrations of flavor precursors, which helps explain why the core can taste stronger and more bitter than the outer leaves. Heat first accelerates the enzyme reaction, then stops it; prolonged cooking instead drives the sulfur compounds toward the persistent aroma associated with overcooked cabbage.4
Footnotes
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University of Maine Cooperative Extension, “Food & Nutrition for the Home Gardener,” accessed July 17, 2026. ↩
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U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, “Glucosinolates,” accessed July 17, 2026. ↩
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University of Maine Cooperative Extension, “Maine Harvest for Hunger: Produce Tips,” accessed July 17, 2026. ↩
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Harold McGee, On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen, rev. ed. (Scribner, 2004), PDF pp. 336–337. ↩