11/06/2026
🌱Plant of the Week🌱
RAT-TAIL RADISH (Raphanus sativus var. Caudatus)
Most radishes are thought to be small, cylindrical, pink or white, root vegetables however the unique, heirloom rat-tail radish is grown for its crispy, mildly peppery flavored seed pods that form after it flowers.
This ancient radish plant still belongs to the Brassicaceae (think cabbage, broccoli etc) family but they do not produce the bulbous underground roots like modern radish cultivars, instead after flowering the plant produce hundreds of long, tapering seed pods, up to 15cm long forming after the flowers at the top of the plant.
Rat-tail are indigenous to the Southern areas of Asia and are a versatile plant - their adaptability has allowed them to be enjoyed in regions from the tropics all the way to the temperate areas of the world!
When eaten fresh the pods are crisp and crunchy. The young pods are tender and can be eaten fresh (eg in salads) whereas older pods develop a more fibrous, chewy nature (a bit like older radish bulbs!) and are best cooked - steamed like beans or in stirfry.
Rat-tail radishes contain a milder, peppery flavor compared to underground radish bulbs and have a delicate pungency mixed with a subtle spiciness. With the rats-tail you can
in addition to eating the pods, eat the pink/white flowers (but then get no pods!) and/or eat the young leaves.
Easy to grow and abundantly productive this interesting, hardy vegetable plant is ideal winter or summer. Full sun in good garden soil or large pot. Ht 60-80cm
