Armoracia rusticana
Wild horseradish, Breton cran, German mustard, horse radish: not to be confused with Japanese wasabi (Eutrema japonicum), a completely different species. Wild horseradish is a hardy variety from Central Europe, whose grated root releases a sudden, fiery pungency—it rises into the nose rather than burning the mouth, and evaporates as quickly as it appeared.
Characteristics:
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Thick, fleshy root: this is the part that is grated; it is white and intensely pungent.
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Large leaves: imposing growth, reaching up to 1 metre in height and spread.
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Indestructible perennial: once established, it returns every year without any care.
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Very hardy: it withstands even the harshest winters without protection.
Precautions:
- Freshly grated root releases vapours that are highly irritating to the eyes and respiratory tract, even stronger than onion: grate it in a well-ventilated place, or even outdoors.
- Its deep root system makes it almost impossible to eradicate: the smallest fragment of root left in the ground will regrow. Choose its location permanently, or grow it in a container.
Sowing advice:
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Position: full sun to partial shade.
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Soil: deep, loose, moist and fairly rich. This is especially important if you are growing it for the root: it grows very deep, so work the soil deeply. Stony or compacted soil produces forked roots that are difficult to pull up. However, it tolerates almost anything.
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Method: sow in spring or autumn. The seeds require cold stratification to break dormancy: autumn sowing lets winter do the work naturally.
Planting advice:
- Allow plenty of space and choose a permanent location, along the edge of the vegetable garden or in a dedicated area. A large buried container can contain its spread.
Care advice:
- None. It is one of the most robust plants in the vegetable garden. Simply remove the flower stalks to direct the plant's energy into the root.
Harvesting advice:
- Harvest the roots in autumn, after the first frosts, which intensify their pungency, digging deeply. Store them in sand in a cool place.
- Tip: the pungency develops only when the root is grated, never before. Grate it at the last moment, and add a dash of vinegar to preserve the flavour.
Beneficial pairings:
Benefits for biodiversity:
- Its clusters of white flowers, if allowed to bloom, are heavily visited by bees and hoverflies in spring.
- Like all brassicas, it is a host plant for butterfly caterpillars.
- Its huge leaves cover the ground and shelter ground beetles and other beneficial insects close to the soil.
Uses:
- Grated root as a condiment, on its own or in a creamy sauce, with boiled meats, smoked fish and cured meats—it is a staple of Central and Northern European cuisine. The young spring leaves can also be eaten, finely chopped in salads.
- Traditional medicinal plant. See our medicinal plants to sow.
Harvesting your own seeds:
Vegetative propagation is still the simplest method: keep a pencil-sized section of root when harvesting and replant it; it will produce a complete plant. See saving your own seeds.
Commitment to Quality: at SemiSauvage - Permaculture, we grow and select our seeds with respect for all living things as our guiding principle. Based near the Volcanoes of Auvergne, we choose reproducible, non-hybrid varieties, tested for their germination rate, carefully sorted and packaged, with no chemical treatment. Our belief is to give gardeners back the ability to resow, year after year, seeds that truly belong to them.
A powerful condiment and an indestructible plant, to install once and for all.
