Radish

plant

Also known as: Raphanus sativus

Written and fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Oct. 2, 2026 •History

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Angiosperm
Order: Brassicales
Family: Brassicaceae
Genus: Raphanus

Radish, (Raphanus sativus), annual or biennial plant in the mustard family, grown for its succulent taproot. The common radish is likely of Asian or Mediterranean origin and is cultivated worldwide. Radish roots are low in calories and high in vitamin C and are usually eaten raw, pickled, or cooked. They have a crunchy texture and a cool, sweet, and mildly peppery flavor. The young leaves can be cooked like spinach, and the young fruits are also edible and are often eaten raw or sautéed.

Physical description

Radish rootEdible radish taproots (*Raphanus sativus*), washed and trimmed.

Radishes are usually grown as annuals and are harvested before they flower. The lobed leaves form a basal rosette that emerges from the top of the root. Flower stalks usually appear in the first season, bearing white or lilac-veined flowers with four petals; the seeds are borne in a pod called a silicle.

Depending on the variety, the edible root ranges in shape from spherical to long and cylindrical or tapered. The outside skin can be white, yellow, pink, red, purple, or black, and the flesh can white, red, pink, purple, green, or yellow. Radishes vary in size from a few grams in the most-popular early American and European varieties up to 1 kg (2.2 pounds) in the East Asian daikon radish.