This perennial is commonly grown at an annual for its edible globose or elongated root. It has erect dark green oblong edible leaves that may be lobed and can form a short stem and the purplish to white wheel-shaped flowers appear in a raceme in summer.

Hardiness zones 2 to 10

Raphanus sativusis thought to be naturally found from Western Asia to Europe and has been cultivated well before the Roman period. It is now cultivated throughout the world and there are winter or summer varieties available.

It prefers a protected sunny position and grows in well-drained, fertile moist light sandy loams that are tending acidic to neutral with a pH range from 6.5 to 7.0. It is frost tolerant but drought and high temperature tender.

Radish Is grown for its edible roots, leaves and seeds. It is planted in domestic vegetable gardens or grown in pots and tubs. In temperate regions they are planted from spring to summer and in warmer regions they are planted during autumn.

They are also grown commercially on large farms as nutritional food or for extracting oil that can be used as a biofuel. It is suitable for coastal or inland regions and establishes in one season and is an easy plant to cultivate.

The leaves or clusters of young flowers are chopped and used in salads adding a spicy flavour and the seeds can be soaked for 5-days until they sprout and can also be added to salads producing a hot spicy flavour. The roots may be eaten raw or cooked and have a crisp spicy flavour although the larger roots of daikon have a mild flavour and store well during winter.

Radish also has various medicinal attributes such as stimulating appetite and improving digestion or is used for the treatment of asthma and chest complaints. ID 1996

Raphanus (RAF-an-us) sativus (sa-TEE-vus)

Brassicaceae(brass-ih-KAY-see-ee)
(Cruciferae)
Cabbage, Mustard, Rapeseed, Turnip and Woad Family