Broccoli Great for detox support, gut health, and easy hot meals. Broccoli — Quick History Broccoli originated in the Mediterranean, developed in Italy from wild cabbage around the 6th century BCE. It was cultivated by the Etruscans and later became popular in Ancient Rome. Often called “Italian asparagus,” broccoli spread through Europe in the 1700s, reached England in the 18th century, and arrived in North America in the 19th century. It gained widespread popularity in the U.S. in the 1920s through Italian immigrants, with California becoming the major producer.