Edible plant - novice Season - spring to autumn Common names Horseradish, red cole
Scientific name meaning: Armoracia is the Latin given name for the plant. It has been suggested this could be related to the Amoricans, a Celtic tribe, but this has never been confirmed. Rusticana means of the country or rural
Habitat  Horseradish is an ancient introduction to Britain. It likes disturbed earth and can often been found on roadside, railway embankments and excavated ground. It can also be found in coastal areas. |
Overall structure  Looking almost like a mass of green tongues emerging from the ground, the leaves of horseradish form in tight clusters and can reach 1m tall. They resemble large dock plants. |
Leaves  The shiny leaves have an elongated oval shape and are dark green. The edges are bluntly toothed - occasionally they are also lobed. When crushed, the leaf material smells of horseradish. |
Stem  The flower stem is tough, ridge and has long thin leaves with a broadly serrated edge. |
Flowers  Like all brassicas, horseradish has cruciform flowers (four petals in the shape of a cross). They appear on panicles, are white and 8-9mm in diameter. The flowering season is late spring to summer. |
Seeds  The seed are green and egg-shaped but rarely ripen in the UK. |
Possible lookalikes Looks remarkably similar to and grows in the same habitats as broad-leaf dock (Rumex obtusifolius), which is edible but pretty awful tasting. Broad-leaf dock lacks the shininess and uniform leaf colour of horseradish. It also lacks horseradish's bluntly-tooth leaf edge. The flower of dock are green and tinged red. And, broad-leaf dock does not smell of horseradish when crushed. |
Use as a food The young leaves of horseradish have a good strong flavour and can be eaten raw or cooked. However, the root, which is best harvested in early winter, is the most used. It is strongly flavoured and traditionally used to make horseradish sauce. Remember, under the Theft Act in the UK, horseradish root cannot be harvested without permission from the landowner (this includes common land) as it involves digging up the plant Use in herbal medicine and medicine Horseradish has many uses in herbalism including to treat skin redness, digestive disorders, constipation, chest infections, pleurisy, infections, arthritis, chilblains, muscle soreness and urinary tract infections.
It has also been used as a diuretic, antiseptic and expectorant. Research is being undertaken into potential anti-tumour properties.
It can cause blistering if applied to the skin so caution is advised
If you are suffering from any ailment or need medical advice, please see your General Practitioner.
Hazards Horseradish contains volatile oils and can be poisonous if eaten in large quantities.
Those who are pregnant or lactating, or suffering with hepatitis, acid reflux, thyroid disorders, hyperacidity and inflammatory bowel disorders, should avoid consumption of large quantities of horseradish. It can cause blistering of the skin in some people
Other uses A solution made from the root can be used to treat fungal diseases, such as brown rot in apples. As a companion plant, horseradish is used to deter potato eelworm Importance to other species Provides a food source for pollinators and the larvae of some butterflies
Always stay safe when foraging. You need to be 100% sure of your identification, 100% sure that your foraged item is edible, and 100% sure that you are not allergic to it (it is good practice to always try a small amount of any new food you are consuming). If in doubt, leave it out!
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