Bunias orientalis

Hill mustard, Turkish rocket

Brassicaceae Edible: Flowers, Leaves, Vegetable, Stems 17,531 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Bunias orientalis, the Turkish wartycabbage, warty-cabbage, hill mustard, or Turkish rocket, is an edible wild plant species in the genus Bunias. It is classified as an invasive neophyte in most of Middle Europe and parts of North America. It was in use as a food plant in France before 1920.

Description

A cabbage family herb. It is a perennial plant. It can grow as an annual or biennial. It grows up to 1 m tall. It grows into a clump.

This description is brief — help expand it

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers Leaves Stem Edible Uses: Leaves and young stems - raw or cooked. The young leaves have a mild cabbage flavour that goes very well in a mixed salad, though some people find them indigestible. The leaves are a bit hairy so we find them less than wonderful when eaten raw on their own. The cooked leaves make an excellent vegetable. The leaves are available early in the year, usually towards the end of winter, and the plant will continue to produce leaves until late autumn, with a bit of a gap when the plant is in flower[27, K]. Flower buds and flowering stems - raw or cooked. A pleasant mild flavour with a delicate sweetness and cabbage-like flavour, they make an excellent broccoli substitute though they are rather smaller.

Traditional Uses

The young leaves are eaten raw or cooked. The stems are peeled and added to soups. They are also pickled.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

None known

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It can survive frost and drought. It suits hardiness zone 4.

Where It Grows

Armenia, Asia, Azerbaijan, Balkans, Belarus, Britain, Bulgaria, Canada, Caucasus, Central Asia, China, Estonia, Europe, Finland, Georgia, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Middle East, Moldova, Mongolia, Norway, Poland, Russia, Western Siberia, Romania, Russian Ukraine, Scandinavia, Slovenia, Turkey, Türkiye, USA, Yugoslavia,

Cultivation

A very easily grown plant, it succeeds in any soil in a sunny position. Plants have also been seen growing exceedingly well in the dappled shade of a woodland garden. Plants are quite tolerant of neglect, growing well amongst long grass on our Cornish trial ground. The young spring growth can be quite badly damaged by slugs, though more mature plants grow away so quickly that this does not seem to be a problem.

Propagation

Seed - sow April in a cold frame. Germination is usually very quick and good. Prick out the seedlings into pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant them out in early summer. The seed can also be sown in situ in the spring, though the seedlings are rather prone to slug damage. Division in spring. Quick and easy. Root cuttings 2 - 5cm in length succeed at any time during the growing season, though early spring as the plant comes into growth is best. If the top 7 - 10cm of the plant is removed to supply root cuttings and divisions, the roots remaining in the soil usually regrow very quickly.

Other Uses

None known Special Uses Food Forest

Other Information

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable.

Notes

There are only 2 Bunias species.

Also Known As

Borsoslene, Borsos lenko, Brabin, Dikaia kapusta, Dikaia retka, Galaturpenk, Rakanyec, Rakvere raibe, Russekal, Sergibus, Szumcso, Tahlis, Tolk, Vzhodni pikasti lušček, Warty cabbage, You guo chi qi

References (28)

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