Raphanus raphanistrum (Wild radish)

Eating radishes cleans you out, your mouth and entire body below the mouth. They stimulate the flow of bile and move digestion along. Radish has been cultivated for at least 8000 years, and were introduced to US in the 1800’s as a food crop. They are in the mustard or Brassiceae family, as are broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sports, and kale which are all bred from one species, Brassica oleracea. All plants in Brassicaea have four petals, which is where the term cruciferous derives, meaning cross-bearing. R. sativus can grow without symbiotic relation with soil fungi, which gives the plant an advantage over native plants. The invasive radish, which may be a cross between R. sativus and R. raphanistrum, is larger than many garden radishes, growing up to 4 feet tall. Flowers are bisexual and symmetrial. Radishes were eaten by the builders of the Egyptian pyramids. From ancient Greece to England, radishes have been valued and taken medicinally.

Elizabeth Oriel 2022