Do you happen to know where the gentleman who gave you the plant is originally from? He may be growing plants native to his home country.

At the school I teach at we have a huge garden set up in the courtyard. The students come from many diverse backgrounds, and are encouraged to bring in seeds of plants they grow in their native country. Often times they can only tell us what they call the plant in their native tongue and give us care instructions. We have to do a lot of detective work to figure out what the English word for the plant is. We usually start by looking at where the student is from and go from there.

I know it doesn't answer your question about what type of plant it is, but it might give you a place to look. Or maybe some more enlightened gardener than I will have your answer.

Not bok choy. Looks more like gai lan to me but I'm not sure. Could be collards too.

It is a collard, somewhat spindly though.

Hmmm, thanks guys. I will ask him what country the plant is from. Doh! And I will ask straight out if its gai lan.

It might be a collard. I've never seen or eaten collards (born and raise in Southern California).

I appreciate the responses. I am brand new to all this gardening stuff. I'd never grown anything but weeds before this year. I've managed to do just about everything wrong, but nature seems intent on making sure I'm somewhat successful.

I'll let you know what I find out ... thanks again.

Zinderin,

I have been gardening for a few years now and I am still doing things wrong. I think it comes with the territory.

On the same note, you did get your mystery plant to sprout roots and grow just by following the gentleman's directions. After your description of what you had to do, I think I would have lost patience and given up.

Leaves look like collards, but stem looks like "Walking Stick Kale".
What is Gai lan/ Gailan ?

Looks like collards to me. No matter what it is, it probably can be used like cabbage, collards or kale.

Definitely not gailan. Looks very much like collard.

Looks like Tree Kale to me. Perennial. I wish I had some.

If you could break off a piece and root it, it is most likely a collard, Most likely the type generally called Walking Stick Cabbage or Tree Kale. It is perennial in appropriate climates as tcstoehr stated. Most widely grown in Europe. Usually associated with the Isle of Jersey. Collard is an American term for a loose leaf cabbage, In other locations it is a cabbage or a kale.

Here is a link that might be useful: Walking Stick cabbage

Looks like a Brussels Sprouts plant to me. I'm probably way off though.

Not way off, brussel sprouts are in the Brassica family, as are cabbage, collards, kale, etc. And it looks like a member of that family to me.