Rutabaga

Planted at Mount Vernon

Lower Garden

Hardiness Zones

Average annual extreme minimum temperature 1976-2005

Rutabagas are a cool season root vegetable which can also be used as a fall cover crop. The large root is purple and white and the leaves are usually bluish-green. It can be boiled, baked, roasted, or mashed, as well as eaten raw in salads.

Latin Name

Brassica napus

Family

Brassicaceae

Type of Plant

Annuals

Vegetables

Seasons

Fall

Winter

Specifications

Max Height: 2'

Max Spread: 1'

Uses

Vegetable

Edible

Sunlight Exposure

Full Sun

Colors

Native Range

Russia

History

George Washington wrote in March of 1788, "I causd to be sown a bed of Reynold's Turnip rooted Cabbages for the purpose of raising plants to put in my Corn Rows." The phrase "Turnip rooted Cabbages" was commonly used to refer to rutabagas.

Other Details

Grown by Washington

Bartlett Tree Expert Company has been working with Mount Vernon Estate since 2011 providing expert arboricultural care and GPS mapping for the estate’s historic trees, as well as support from their research facility. Mount Vernon is proud to partner with Bartlett Tree Experts and appreciates their sponsorship of George Washington’s Mount Vernon Plant Finder App.

Bring Washington's Garden Home

Purchase our historic seeds, collected from plants grown at Mount Vernon and plant them in your own garden.

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