Daikon - Photo by studio tdes
Daikon is a large white type of radish, which originates from East and Southeast Asia. As a root vegetable it is used in Chinese, Japanese and Thai recipes. In North America it is grown as a fallow crop and the leaves can be used as animal fodder.
Names
Scientific
Raphanus sativus subsp. longipinnatus
English
Chinese white radish
Daikon
Daikon radish
Fodder radish
Forage radish
Icicle radish
Japanese radish
Long white radish
Oilseed radish
Oriental radish
White carrot
White radish
Winter radish
Dutch
Chinese radijs
Daikon
Japanse radijs
Witte rammenas
French
Radis blanc
Radis chinois
Radis d’hiver
German
Chinesischer Rettich
Daikon
Japanischer Rettich
Winterrettich
Italian
Daikon
Ravanello cinese
Ravanello giapponese
Ravanello invernale
Taxonomy
Genus
Raphanus
Family
Brassicaceae
Order
Brassicales
Basic information and facts
Origin:
East and Southeast Asia
Distribution:
East and Southeast Asia, North America, East Africa
Annual, biennial, or perennial:
It is an annual herb.
Flowers:
Leaves:
At first the leaves grow in a rosette, but later the stem elongates and branches.
Roots:
A cylindrical taproot in the shape of a giant white carrot, about 20 to 35 cm long and 5 to 10 cm in diameter. Size can differ depending on the variety.
Climate and weather:
Tropical, subtropical
Pollination:
Cross pollination by insects.
Height:
Can be up to 100 cm tall.
Spacing:
About 30 cm between rows and 15–25 cm within row.
Propagation:
Grown from seed
Harvesting:
Radishes can be harvested about 8–10 weeks after sowing.
Uses:
Roots are used raw (sometimes shredded) or in cooked dishes in Chinese, Japanese, Thai and other Asian or Southeast Asian recipes. Roots are also used pickled or dried. Leaves can be eaten as a vegetable.
Crop categories
Food crops
Forage and fodder crops
Root vegetables
Tropical crops
Vegetables
Pictures
Daikon - Photo by studio tdes
Daikon - Photo by J Driskell
Daikon - Photo by ilovebutter
Daikon - Photo by F Delventhal
Daikon - Photo by F Delventhal