Neeps Brassica napus
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Brassica napobrassica
- Phonetic Spelling
- BRAS-sick-ah NAY-pus
- Description
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Rutabega is an herbaceous biennial grown primarily as a large annual root vegetable for its edible root and greens. It is believed to be a hybrid of a turnip (Brassica rapa) and a cabbage (Brassica oleracea) and is native to Scandinavia and Russia. The genus name Brassica is Latin for cabbage. Compared to turnips, Rutabagas are bigger, rounder, and firmer, with a slightly bitter taste. The taproot of the plant is an almost perfectly round bulbous tuber that is purple, white, or yellow with yellow flesh. The Rutabega is cold hardy and can be grown in the early spring for summer harvest or in summer for fall harvest. Soil pH should be between 6 and 6.5.
Rutabega is typically grown for fall harvest because the tuberous roots need cool temperatures for harvest of the best crop and the roots are slow to mature. For fall harvest, sow seed about 100 days before first fall frost in rows 18 to 24 inches apart. Thin seedlings to about 6 inches apart. Harvest in fall after light frost (mulch to protect roots from low temperatures of late fall) when roots are about 3 to 5 inches in diameter. Frost typically sweetens maturing rutabagas. Rutabagas can be left in the ground until needed, but can become woody if left too long.
Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems:
Clubroot is a significant problem. It will not only destroy the crop, but the spores can remain in the soil for 20 years. Other issues include powdery mildew, alternaria, root knot, anthracnose and leaf spot. Potential insect issues include aphids, loopers, root maggots, cutworms, flea beetles, and wireworms.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Acadia'
purple above ground, sometimes bronze - 'American Purple Top'
yellow flesh, purple crown/shoulders - 'Bristol White'
white shoulder - 'Colbaga (NH W62)'
new, white flesh, roots red below soil - 'Laurentian'
purple crown, yellow flesh - 'Marian'
purple top, yellow flesh, short wide leaves - 'Pike'
similar to Laurentian - 'Sioux'
similar to American Purple Top, blight resistant - 'Strafford'
purple blush, similar to Bristol White - 'Wilhelmsburger (Nappan Swede)'
green leaves often have reddish tint - 'York'
pale yellow flesh, clubroot resistant veersion of Laurentian
- 'Acadia'
- 'Acadia', 'American Purple Top', 'Bristol White', 'Colbaga (NH W62)', 'Laurentian', 'Marian', 'Pike', 'Sioux', 'Strafford', 'Wilhelmsburger (Nappan Swede)', 'York'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Acadia'
purple above ground, sometimes bronze - 'American Purple Top'
yellow flesh, purple crown/shoulders - 'Bristol White'
white shoulder - 'Colbaga (NH W62)'
new, white flesh, roots red below soil - 'Laurentian'
purple crown, yellow flesh - 'Marian'
purple top, yellow flesh, short wide leaves - 'Pike'
similar to Laurentian - 'Sioux'
similar to American Purple Top, blight resistant - 'Strafford'
purple blush, similar to Bristol White - 'Wilhelmsburger (Nappan Swede)'
green leaves often have reddish tint - 'York'
pale yellow flesh, clubroot resistant veersion of Laurentian
- 'Acadia'
- 'Acadia', 'American Purple Top', 'Bristol White', 'Colbaga (NH W62)', 'Laurentian', 'Marian', 'Pike', 'Sioux', 'Strafford', 'Wilhelmsburger (Nappan Swede)', 'York'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Brassica
- Species:
- napus
- Family:
- Brassicaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- root vegetable, vegetable oil, animal feed
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Biennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Skandanavia and Russia
- Distribution:
- Northern United States and Europe, Canada and Great Britian
- Wildlife Value:
- attracts pollinators
- Edibility:
- The root is used as a vegetable, and, the foliage can be used as greens. The oil contained in the seed of some varieties of this species can be rich in erucic acid which is toxic. However, modern cultivars have been selected which are almost free of erucic acid.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 9 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Cool Season Vegetable
- Edible
- Vegetable
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Fruit Type:
- Siliqua
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The flowers form a sickle-shaped pod with tiny round seeds. The fruits dry and split when ripe.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Winter
- Flower Shape:
- Cross
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The plant produces small 4-pttaled,1/2 inch light yellow flowers clustered at the top of a raceme.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Waxy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblanceolate
- Pinnatisect
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves grow from a stout and swollen stem that is close to the ground and forms the crown of the plant. The leaves are thick and lobed with a bluish tint.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Stout and swollen, close to the ground and it forms the crown of the plant.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Small Space
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Design Feature:
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds