A Head for Hot Weather

Everybody loves broccoli, right? The great green vegetable is a cool weather crop. It prefers growing temperatures from 40-70 degrees Fahrenheit. Most of the commercial production in the U.S. along the foggy central California coast. The L.A. Daily News reports that two researchers have succeeded in breeding heat tolerant broccoli. Their hybrid survives temperatures in the high nineties and has tolerated heat spikes of over 110 degrees. As one of the researchers put it, "Our broccoli isn't responding to heat by blowing its brains out."

Look for broccoli prices to decrease if the patented heat tolerant variety catches on with consumers. The broccoli can be grown on cheaper land, with lower production costs and those savings are expected to be passed on to consumers.

For the record Gothamist tolerates broccoli in small-to-medium doses.