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Planted at Mount Vernon

Planted at Mount Vernon Fruit Garden & Nursery Lower Garden Upper Garden

  • Fruit Garden & Nursery
  • Lower Garden
  • Upper Garden

  • Hardiness Zones

    USDA basemap

    Average annual extreme minimum temperature 1976-2005

    map legend

    Turnips are a cool season root vegetable. They produce a large purple and white bulbous taproot which have historically been a winter staple. They can be roasted, mashed, or eaten raw.

    Latin Name

    Brassica rapa var. rapa


    Family

    Brassicaceae


    Type of Plant

    Vegetables Vegetables
    Annuals Annuals

    Seasons

    Fall Fall
    Spring Spring

    Specifications

    Max height Max Height: 1.5'
    Max spread Max Spread: 1'

    Uses

  • Vegetable
  • Edible

  • Sunlight Exposure

    Full Sun Full Sun

    Colors


    Native Range

    Europe


    History

    In November of 1785, George Washington wrote in his diary, "Finished digging my Summer Turnips and putting them in a Cellar."


    Other Details

    Grown by Washington 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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