Horseradish

Description

It is cultivated primarily for its large, white, tapered root, The white four-petalled flowers are scented and are borne in dense panicles. Established plants may form extensive patches. Both roots and leaves were used as a traditional medicine during the Middle Ages. The root is used as a condiment on meats in Germany, Scandinavia, and Britain.

After the first frost in autumn kills the leaves, the root is dug and divided. The main root is harvested and one or more large offshoots of the main root are replanted to produce next year’s crop. Horseradish left undisturbed in the garden spreads via underground shoots and can become invasive. Older roots left in the ground become woody, after which they are no longer culinarily useful, although older plants can be dug and re-divided to start new plants.

Flowering Picture HERE