Garden Rocket Eruca vesicaria
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Eruca sativa
- Eruca versicaria subsp. sativa
- Phonetic Spelling
- eh-ROO-kah ves-ih-KAIR-ee-ah
- Description
-
Resembling tall lettuce, arugula is an annual cool-season vegetable grown for its peppery-tasting leaves. Popular in Italy, it is often eaten fresh in salads or used in a variety of cooked dishes. Many other parts of the plant can also be eaten such as the flowers, young seeds pods, and seeds.
Eruca vesicaria grows best in full sun to part shade and moist, rich soil. It is recommended to grow arugula in the cooler spring and fall; it tends to bolt and flower in hot weather, changing the flavor and stopping leaf growth. Because of this, some shade can be beneficial in hot climates to deter bolting. It also tolerates wet, mucky soil to some degree as well as light frosts.
Seeds may be planted directly into the soil or started indoors before the last frost date for later transplanting. Thin seedlings out to 6 in apart. If growing in containers, use a minimum pot size of 3 gallons and a minimum depth of 4-6 in. Plants can self-seed in the garden, though they run the risk of becoming a weed or escaping into natural areas.
Plants mature quickly, within 40-50 days, and can be harvested after 6 weeks. Pick young leaves as older leaves have a bitter flavor. Stagger plantings by one or two weeks for a continuous harvest throughout the season. Once plants bolt in the summer, the flowers and seed pods can be harvested as well.
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Few serious problems, though minor diseases may occur such as bacterial leaf spot and powdery mildew. Aphids and flea beetles may cause problems. Damping off of seedlings is infrequent but possible.
VIDEO Created by Homegrown featuring Bill Lord, former Area Specialized Agent for NC State Extension
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:













- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Eruca
- Species:
- vesicaria
- Family:
- Brassicaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Mediterranean to China and Arabian Peninsula
- Edibility:
- Leaves, flowers, seed pods, and seeds are edible. Harvest leaves and seed pods when young as they get tough and bitter with age. Harvest only as needed as leaves do not keep long in the refrigerator after harvesting.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 8 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 8 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Cool Season Vegetable
- Edible
- Vegetable
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
-
-
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:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- 12 inches-3 feet
- 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, 11a, 11b
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Siliqua
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Long, beaked pods 0.5-1.5" containing two rows of several seeds.
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Gold/Yellow
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Corymb
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cross
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Four-petaled cream to white flowers up to an inch in size that grow in corymbs. Flowers have yellow stamens and purple-ish veins.
-
-
Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Fleshy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Basal leaves are pinnately lobed, 4-10 small lateral lobes and a large terminal lobe. Stem leaves are small with entire margins.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Diseases
- Insect Pests
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Weedy