Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
terranean or southwest Asia. Unique varieties have been developed in China, where the radish has
been cultivated since at least 300
BC
. The first record of the small-rooted summer radish dates to 16th-
century Italy. In India and Indonesia, another variety is grown for its edible unripe seedpods; these rat-
tailed radish (var.
mougri
) seedpods are eaten raw in salads or boiled, steamed, or sautéed like other
vegetables. Oilseed radishes (convar.
oleiformis
) have long been cultivated in eastern Asia, Egypt and,
since the 19th century, in a few European countries; the oil is used in lamps and for cooking.
Rat-tailed radish seedpods
HORSERADISH
Armoracia rusticana
Horseradish is grown for its aromatic, spicy root that is often eaten raw and shredded with beef, saus-
age, or fish, or made into a condiment. In Austria, raw, shredded horseradish is added to cream or
applesauce. Horseradish is one of the oldest cultivated garden plants and is sometimes found natural-
ized along paths.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
• several well-developed roots
• a permanent place in the garden or
• overwintering quarters for root scions
POLLINATION NOTES
The horseradish plants found in most gardens are self-sterile selections that
flower but produce no seed. They can only be propagated vegetatively. Newer varieties are an excep-
tion to this.
PROPAGATION
In most home gardens, horseradish stays in the same spot for years. Be warned: it is
difficult to remove once it is planted (small pieces of root left behind send up new shoots), so site
horseradish at the edge of or outside the garden. Horseradish is a perennial, hardy down to zone 3,
