The radish is a root vegetable of the Brassicaceae family.

The most popular part for eating is the napiform taproot, although the entire plant is edible and the tops can be used as a leaf vegetable. The skin comes in a variety of colours. Most commonly known is the round, red-skinned variety. Other varieties may have a pink, white or grey-black skin. A large, round yellow-skinned variety has a subtle taste of lemon.

The East Asian giant white radish is called "Chinese radish" or "daikon". It is mild-flavored and is usually called daikon radish in US supermarkets. The most common variety is carrot-shaped, and approximately 8 to 14 inches (20 to 35 cm) long and 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) in diameter.

The bulb of the radish is usually eaten raw, but tougher specimens can be steamed. The raw flesh has a crisp texture and a pungent, peppery flavour.

Radishes range in sizes, in some instances growing to proportions of over 1 kg (2 lb). They are a popular choice for personal cultivation, as they are fairly easy to grow. It is a rapidly-maturing crop, with many varieties able to reach maturity within 30 days.

Radishes grow best in acidic to neutral soil and require sun and moist, fertile soil. They are best sown from early till late spring and best harvested from late summer till early autumn. The seeds should be planted around 1 cm deep. Ammonium sulfate is an effective fertilizer. However the soil pH level should be checked before planting radishes as they can be sensitive to this.

Varieties

Broadly speaking, radishes can be categorized into two main types: summer and winter. They also come in many different shapes, colours, and sizes, such as black radishes, multi-coloured ones, round ones, and long ones that can grow longer than a parsnip.

Summer varieties include "Rainbow Mix," a red white and purple radish; "Cherry Bell," which is cherry shaped; "Flamboyant Sabina," which is cylindrical; "April cross," reaching 30cm or more (12 inches); "French Breakfast," one of the most popular; and "Easter Egg," a white variety.

Winter varieties include "Black Spanish Round," which is large with black skin and white flesh, shaped like a globe; "Mino Early," growing to 30cm (12 inches) long, and good in a salad; and "Minawasa Summer," a variety from Japan.

The radish in popular culture

• Radishes were the staple food of the three main races of the Fraggle Rock universe - the Fraggles, Doozers and Gorgs.

• Fictional character Jessica Fletcher, protagonist of detective show Murder, She Wrote, was revealed in an episode of the show to be severely allergic to radishes.

• In 2005 in Japan, a giant radish grew through a pavement. Named Dokonjo Daikon, the vegetable was taken to the heart of the public, and toy shops began stocking a cuddly giant radish to celebrate the event. ^*

• Radish were a group compared to Nirvana by Rolling Stone ^*. However, they failed to strike big success with either their first record Dizzy or its sophomore follow-up Restraining Bolt, and split in 1998. Their frontman, Ben Kweller went on to achieve modest success with a solo career.

External links

• Multilingual taxonomic information from the University of Melbourne

Root vegetables | Brassicaceae

فجل | Репичка | Radise | Radieschen | Radis | Raphanus sativus | צנון | Ridikas | radijs | ハツカダイコン | Rabanete | Retiisi | rädisa | Turp | 萝卜