Horse-radish
Horse-radish in flower
Horse-radish colony (leaves only)
Flower spray
6 stamens,bilobed stigma, nascent pods
Immature pods
Lower leaves
Upper leaves on flower stem
Armoracia rusticana
Brassicaceae
May to August
It is found throughout the country, except for parts of the
North and the far Southwest
See the BSBI distribution map for Horse-radish
It is a neophyte which was first grown in English gardens
in the early 1500s and has been naturalised in the wild
since the mid 17th century.
It is naturalised on waste ground and by roads, railways
and rivers.
Horse-radish is a persistent, perennial herb, which forms
extensive, large-leaved colonies. When flowering it grows
up to 1.5m.
The flowers are in sprays on spikes.
Each flower is 8-9mm across, with 4 white petals,
6 stamens and a disk-shaped, bilobed stigma.
The pods develop into globular fruits.
Horse-radish does not flower every year and the seeds
are sterile in the UK.
The lower leaves are dark green, crinkly, prominently
veined and large (up to 50cm).
Leaves on the flowering stems are narrow and lanceolate.
The plant's large tap root leads to its persistence and root
fragments lead to its spread.
The tap-root is used to make Horse-radish sauce.
There are reports that extracts from Horse-radish
roots have anti-cancer properties.
Previous page: Horse Chestnut
Next page: Horseshoe Vetch
Horse-radish in flower
Horse-radish colony (leaves only)
Flower spray
6 stamens,bilobed stigma, nascent pods
Immature pods
Lower leaves
Upper leaves on flower stem
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