Vegetable
Brassica napus
S tier
Brassica napus napobrassica is the swede (rutabaga)—a cool-season root with purple shoulders, yellow flesh, and sweet-earthy flavour milder than turnip when well grown. Dense and storage-friendly. Essential in northern European and Canadian winter cooking. Mash with butter, roast, or stew. Species covers culinary swedes/rutabagas. Peel thick skin; cores of old roots can be woody.
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Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
Butter MashNeepsRoastSoupStew
Traits
DensePurple Shoulder Yellow FleshSpecies Primary RootSpecies UmbrellaSweet EarthyWinter StorageYellow Flesh
History
SE
Swede/rutabaga emerged in northern Europe as a Brassica napus root crop.
GB
British and Scottish fields adopted swedes for food and fodder.
CA
Canadian production made rutabaga a North American staple name.
Roasted swede chips and mashes revived interest beyond school dinners.