Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
CULTIVATION HISTORY
Wild turnip-rooted chervil is only rarely found in central and western Europe.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, turnip-rooted chervil was described by botanists in Austria, Switzer-
land, and Germany as a crop plant, but even then it was considered a rare delicacy, reserved for nobil-
ity and the rich. The traditional size of turnip-rooted chervil was actually much larger than what is typ-
ical today, which points to the need for renewed selective breeding of this species. The closely related
Siberian chervil (ssp.
prescottii
) produces a larger root (3-4 in. [8-10 cm]), but it is not as aromatic as
the turnip-rooted chervil.
