Radishes

History

Radishes hold the distinction of being one of the earliest domesticated crops and among the first vegetables planted in space, a testament to their rapid growth and reliability that has made them garden favorites for over 4,000 years. Wild radishes likely originated in Southeast Asia, possibly China, and spread westward along ancient trade routes. By 2700 BCE, radishes were an established crop in ancient Egypt, where workers building the pyramids were reportedly paid in radishes, onions, and garlic. Herodotus, the Greek historian, described an inscription on the Great Pyramid of Giza listing the cost of these vegetable rations. The Greeks were so enamored with radishes that they made gold replicas to offer at the temple of Apollo at Delphi, while offering only silver beets and lead turnips. Roman agriculturalist Pliny the Elder catalogued numerous varieties including round, long, and mild types, noting that radishes from Germany could grow to forty pounds. The name "radish" derives from the Latin "radix" meaning root, which also gives us words like "radical" and "eradicate." Different cultures developed distinct varieties suited to their climates: the Japanese cultivated massive daikon radishes used fresh, pickled (takuan), and dried; Koreans made kkakdugi, cubed radish kimchi; and Europeans bred small, quick-maturing spring radishes. Black Spanish radishes, mentioned in European texts since the 16th century, became traditional winter storage vegetables. In Mexico, the Night of the Radishes (Noche de Rábanos) on December 23rd in Oaxaca features intricate carved radish sculptures, a tradition dating to 1897. Radishes were among the first crops grown in the American colonies at Plymouth and later became one of the first vegetables cultivated in the International Space Station's Veggie plant growth system, continuing their role as the ultimate beginner's crop—now extended to space agriculture.