Horseradish is a
non-native
perennial plant of the UK, typically found growing in water margins and waste ground, to a mature height of up to 60cm.
Horseradish was introduced into the UK before the sixteenth century as a medicinal plant, and from the seventeenth century it came to be grown as a root vegetable and used as a condiment. Horseradish has distinctive leaves, which are smooth, broad and long, with prominent midribs and veins, and crinkly round-toothed edges.
Botanic classification and naming: Horseradish is a member of the Cabbage (Brassicaceae) family. The genus name
'Armoracia' identifies the plant as a Horseradish and its species name 'rusticana' means 'countryside plant'.
Benefits: Apart from attracting a wide range of pollinators, Horseradish is also used in cultivation as a companion plant, as its flowers attract hoverflies that predate a number of crop pest species.
Benefits to wildlife are also indicated with orange icons in the plant profile bar at the top.
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