Brassica rapa ssp. campestris

'Wild Turnip'

[Syn. Brassica campestris]

Brassicaceae: grey-green annual or biennial to 1.2, found by river banks, arable and waste land. The yellow four petalled flowers are up to 13mm across, blooming from May-September.  Quite common across most of the country. Native to most of Europe, and very common around the Mediterranean. Naturalised in Britain.

USES:

The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, they have a strong radish/cabbage flavour. An edible oil is obtained from the seed, it is best when cold pressed.

The tuberous roots and seeds are considered to have antiscorbutic properties. A rather strange report, the leaves are much more likely to contain reasonable quantities of vitamin C than the roots or seeds.

GROWING INFORMATION:

Succeeds in full sun in a well-drained fertile preferably alkaline soil. Sow seeds in spring or autumn in situ. Very Easy.

HARVESTED:

APPROX. 50+ SEEDS