I don't know about how to distinguish between the two, but I do know that the two have more or less the same needs. You say the leaf tastes like a broccoli leaf. In my experience, all crucifer leaves taste like cabbage. I don't think that taking a bite will help. In any case, if your plants have the same colour and the same size, then they are most likely both the same plant. I seriously don't think you can tell the two apart with young plants. Both broccoli and brussels sprouts have the same plant structure, and although I have never grown brussels sprouts, I hear it also has a small broccoli flower at the top. You may never find out how to differentiate them, but in case you only need to know because you would like to handle your plants correctly, rest assured that both require about the same conditions. They are also of comparable size (well, the sprouts may be taller) and therefore need about the same spacing as well.

Thanks everyone. Guess I'll be popping those seeds into some little starter pots and put them in some shade on the deck today! Angela, thanks for that link, great resource. I think we have time, we're not off by too far if we do it now! I got the last pack of BS seeds at Lowe's yesterday so apparently everyone else around had that info! ;-). They didn't have rutabaga seeds which is the other thing I want to grow, but I have to go to a specialty nursery here to get those. It was funny, I asked the guy how many seeds he had (as in "do I have to rush down there?" and he said, "don't worry, you may be the only person in Wake County who plants rutabaga" and laughed. This will be my first attempt with rutabaga, so any tips on that will also be appreciated! I heard it's easy to grow. I just couldn't imagine planting cool weather plant seeds in this heat, but planting in the shade/sun and then transplanting makes sense! (Already looking forward to Thanksgiving dinner with BS and rutabaga :-)

going to Mich. middle of May and so nervous the plant won't survive the move. Can I ship it 2 day safely? Do you think I should put it in a plastic bag anchored around the stem with a some water in it? I feel like it's my premature baby! And if it makes it to Mich., I'm so afraid bugs and rot will get it. Should I hang it in one of those bags? What web site will tell me how to collect seeds if I get tomatoes? Right here? Thank you for all the help. I've gotten this far I don't want to lose it

Very interesting sixtoll. I can see this could be a pleasant reason to scratch one's head wondering. It really depends on what the driver was for the decline of the plant, so you need to post us pictures - we tend to be very visual in this forum since there are so many confounding factors that get us to a diseased or dead plant and a picture is accurate worth a million words, not much different from a doctor taking the patient history but then ordering x-ray images to study. But if the plant dried up, it probably would be a better idea to start with it's cutting to build a new root system and leave behind the potential for mold and disease growing up and attacking the new growth: provided the cutting has "the right stuff". Pic, por favor :-) PS. I congratulate you for growing Floridade. This cultivar is part of an illustrious history which I personally love... Cheers PC