Thursday, March 26, 2015

Perennial Vegetables, Arugula!

I had no idea that I would have so much fun with arugula!  
WHAT?
Yes, this leafy green is already up and ready to harvest in Central Oregon.  
Wild?  Well, this one is an heirloom variety but yes, I planted it when we moved in late summer, 2013 and now it is well established right next to the patio door.  We pop out in the evening and pick a mess before dinner and voila, fresh salad greens!

Here is what I found on the Internet about this perennial vegetable:

Sylvetta Arugula
Known as wild arugula, or wild rocket, this perennial heirloom (Diplotaxis tenuifolia) was originally cultivated in Italy, but has found its way to gardens around the world. Sylvetta has a sharper, more fiery bite than regular arugula, and its pointed green leaves are welcome additions to salads and egg dishes, and it can also be used to make a peppery pesto sauce.

I have been known to walk around the yard and simply graze on this stuff.  We hand it out to neighbors walking by and they think we are crazy until they taste it.  Peppery, aromatic, spicy, delicious!  I love it on my gluten free rice bread BLT's instead of the L! 

Warning, they do have a tendency to reseed so cut off the flower heads through the summer and you will have fresh arugula all season long well into fall. 

A quick link to the article:

http://inhabitat.com/re-discovering-perennial-vegetables/sylvetta-arugula/?extend=1

No comments:

Post a Comment

Can Dahlias grow in Central Oregon?

Growing any tender tuber in the high desert is always a bit of a challenge. The temperature can plummet at any time of the year causing fros...