Common Name: Turkish Rocket

General Information

Bunias orientalis is a biennial to perennial plant producing one to several stems that branch toward the top; it usually grows from 25 - 100cm tall, exceptionally to 150cm.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.
Bunias orientalis is able to spread rapidly into new areas, both by seed and by vegetative reproduction. It has spread from its original range as a result of human activity and has become naturalized in many areas including N. America, Mongolia and northern China[]..

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

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Range

Europe - Finland and the Baltic, south to Macedonia and Bulgaria; W. Asia - western Siberia, Caucasus, Turkey, Iran, Iraq

Habitat

A weed of cultivated and waste ground[, ]. Fields and meadows[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Habit	Biennial/Perennial
Height	0.90 m
Pollinators	Bees, Flies, Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Bunias orientalis is a very hardy plant, able to survive winter temperatures falling as low as -45°c. It tolerates a mean annual rainfall within the range 500 - 3,000mm, with a dry season no longer than around 3 months[].
A very easily grown plant, it succeeds in any soil in a sunny position[, ]. Plants have also been seen growing exceedingly well in the dappled shade of a woodland garden[].
Plants are quite tolerant of neglect, growing well amongst long grass on our Cornish trial ground[]. The young spring growth can be quite badly damaged by slugs, though more mature plants grow away so quickly that this does not seem to be a problem[].

Edible Uses

Leaves and young stems - raw or cooked[, , , , , ]. The young leaves have a mild cabbage flavour that goes very well in a mixed salad, though some people find them indigestible[]. The leaves are a bit hairy so we find them less than wonderful when eaten raw on their own[]. The cooked leaves make an excellent vegetable[]. The leaves are available early in the year, usually towards the end of winter, and the plant will continue to produce leaves until late autumn, with a bit of a gap when the plant is in flower[, ].

Flower buds and flowering stems - raw or cooked[, ]. A pleasant mild flavour with a delicate sweetness and cabbage-like flavour, they make an excellent broccoli substitute though they are rather smaller[].

Roots[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow mid spring in a cold frame. Germination is usually very quick and good. Prick out the seedlings into pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant them out in early summer.
The seed can also be sown in situ in the spring, though the seedlings are rather prone to slug damage[].
Division in spring. Quick and easy.
Root cuttings 2 - 5cm in length succeed at any time during the growing season, though early spring as the plant comes into growth is best[]. If the top 7 - 10cm of the plant is removed to supply root cuttings and divisions, the roots remaining in the soil usually regrow very quickly[].