Description
Wild Italian Arugula - The Wild Italian Boyfriend Your Mom Warned You About!
Wild Italian Arugula has a more intricate flavor than regular Arugula: tantalizingly complex - sweet, nutty, tangy and peppery. So tasty that it's addictive. Wild Arugula is more heat resistant than common arugula.
Details
Deep green, finely cut leaves display spicy, edible flowers. Truly a gourmet addition to your salads. For best flavor, pick leaves when 4"-5" long and plant is no more than 8"-10" high. Grow spring or fall, sowing seeds every 2 - 3 weeks for continual harvests. Will not transplant well, so direct sowing is necessary.
History
The name arugula is an Italian corruption of the Latin word eruca, or "colewort" and reflects this plants Mediterranean origin. Popular in Italian cuisine and grown as an aromatic salad green in Europe for many years, ancient Romans were also known to have eaten its' leaves and used the seeds for flavoring oils.
Uses
Has a rather nutty flavor when the shoots are young, becoming sharper, peppery or mustard like when older. Used with other herbs such as sorrel and garlic in soups and stews. It is currently enjoying resurgence as a popular salad green as all of the plant is edible with a long harvest season.
Growing Tip
Arugula if left to flower will self-seed prolifically.
Learn More
- Arugula - the Wild, Ancient, Hip and Versatile Green
- Cool Season Vegetables to Love
- Succession Planting - Boosting Garden Production
- Hortopita or Greek Spring Greens Quiche
From the soil to the seed to the food you eat - we'll help you grow your best garden!
3 Reviews
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Wild is the best!
Love this stuff. Will never go back to the regular arugula. Has very strong arugula flavor with out being to peppery. Not bitter at all. Soft silky leaves that are narrower but thicker and juicier. Very cold hardy. Will be a mainstay in my garden.
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best arugula
This arugula is so good. They survive cold winters - very hardy. We look forward to them each spring. One plant that is allowed to bring flowers will assure next years arugula in a very large area - if you let it. We work very hard to keep up with eating this delicious green.
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My second review - 5 stars again
I reviewed this not too long ago after growing it in the winter. It came back with a vengeance this summer under the shade of my squash leaves. It had a totally different flavor in the heat of the summer. It was till very tender and succulent but very strong and peppery, even a bit spicy. I like the way it came out in either season. It spreads fast. It is basically a weed and will turn up in many places if left to go to seed.