Practical
Plants

Raphanus maritima

Sea Radish

a biennial member of the Raphanus genus in the family Brassicaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
biennial
Height
0.8 m
Fertility
Bees, Flies
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Flies

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Young leaves - raw or cooked as a potherb[4][3]. A somewhat hot taste. Root - cooked as a potherb or used as a substitute for horseradish[4][3]. Flowers - raw. A nice addition to salads. Young seedpods - raw. Crisp and juicy, they must be eaten when young because they quickly become tough and fibrous.

Plant part
Flowers
Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Root
Plant part
Seedpod

Environment

Range
Coasts of Europe, including Britain, from the Netherlands to N. Spain, Mediterranean, Black Sea.
Habitat
A plant of the drift-line and cliffs on sandy and rocky shores[2].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerances
high wind, maritime exposure
Wind
Yes
Maritime
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in situ. Germination should take place within 2 weeks.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a rich soil with ample moisture[1][6]. Dislikes very heavy soils[5]. The seeds are dispersed by sea-water, in which they can float for 7 - 10 days without loss of viability[2].

References

  1. Simons. New Vegetable Growers Handbook. Penguin 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-050-0

    ↩

  2. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2

  4. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩1↩2

  5. Thompson. B. The Gardener's Assistant. Blackie and Son. 1878-00-00

    ↩

  6. Larkcom. J. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn 1980-00-00

    ↩

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