Plant · P-200

Arugula

Eruca vesicaria

Arugula is the fastest food crop in the collection, germinating in about a day and giving a first harvest of strongly peppery leaves within six weeks. It fills the gap between two other crops rather than serving as a staple, and it self-sows readily, so a patch left to go to seed at the end of one season often reappears on its own the next. Its flowers are edible as a garnish, and the seed presses into an oil and a mustard, though the wild-type oil is high enough in erucic acid that it belongs with lamp and industrial uses rather than the table unless a named low-erucic variety is confirmed. Beyond the food value it also works as an oilseed forage crop, capped like other brassicas at under half of an animal's daily intake.