Short answers, pulled from the story.
The word broccoli first appeared in the 17th century. It is derived from the Italian plural of brocco, meaning the flowering crest of a cabbage, and is the diminutive form of brocco, which translates to small nail or sprout.
Joseph Jakob von Plenck formally described the plant we know today, Brassica oleracea var. italica, in 1794. He published this description in his work Icones Plantarum Medicinalium.
Broccoli originated from artificial selection likely in the southern Italian Peninsula or Sicily. It spread to northern Europe by the 18th century and eventually to North America in the 19th century via Italian immigrants.
Global production of broccoli combined with cauliflowers reached 26.5 million tonnes in 2023. China and India together accounted for 65% of the world total that year.
Raw broccoli is 89% water. It also contains 7% carbohydrates, 3% protein, and negligible fat while serving as a rich source of vitamin C and vitamin K.
The larvae of Pieris rapae, also known as the small white butterfly, are a common pest in broccoli. These larvae were mostly introduced accidentally to North America, Australia, and New Zealand.