Turnip (Brassica rapa (Rapifera Group)) — Plotwright

›

›

Turnip

Habit (mature) · thebittenword.com / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Limited coverage

Turnip

Brassica rapa (Rapifera Group)

A fast, cool-season root vegetable grown for both its swollen storage root and its peppery greens. The familiar form is a round white globe with a purple-to-magenta shoulder where the crown meets sun and air, tapering to a slender taproot below a rosette of bristly green leaves. Best harvested young — two inches or less across — because flavor turns sharply more pungent as the root enlarges and as growing conditions dry out.

Review: Source-backed

Climate fit: moderate (56/100)

Edible

Light

Full sun

Water

Moderate water

Mature size

12-18" tall · 4" apart

Hardy in zones

2a-11b

brutally cold to nearly frost-free winters

Summer heat range

Cool-Mild

cool to mild summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.

Native in Illinois

No

Related products

Sponsored

Winter protection and storage

Frost cloth, plant covers, bulb/tuber storage supplies, burlap, and cold frames.

Search winter protection and storage on Amazon →

Watering and irrigation

Watering cans, soaker hoses, drip kits, moisture meters, and timers.

Search watering and irrigation on Amazon →

Seed starting

Trays, cells, humidity domes, heat mats, grow lights, and seed-starting mix.

Search seed starting on Amazon →

Drainage and aeration

Perlite, pumice, raised-bed mix, aerators, and drainage-focused containers.

Search drainage and aeration on Amazon →

Transplanting and establishment

Trowels, transplant spades, starter fertilizer, root stimulators, and watering bags.

Search transplanting and establishment on Amazon →

Fertility and feeding

Compost, balanced fertilizer, slow-release plant food, and organic amendments.

Search fertility and feeding on Amazon →

Plotwright may earn a commission from purchases made through these links, at no extra cost to you.

Cold hardiness

Now

Zone 6b

USDA

Chicago, IL · 1991-2020 average annual coldest day

Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer

Well-suited

2050

Zone 7b

Plotwright

Your zone + climate-model shift · SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry)

Well-suited

In plain terms: cold winters — coldest nights typically around -3°F.

✓

Well-suited today and still thriving in 2050.

Heat tolerance

°C

°F

Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…

Where this plant fits

Suitable across 45 ecoregions — 45 climate-resilient through 2070. Best matches first.

Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests

Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests

Arizona Mountains forests

Atlantic coastal pine barrens

Blue Mountains forests

California coastal sage and chaparral

Canadian Aspen forests and parklands

Central Pacific Northwest coastal forests

Central Tallgrass prairie

Central-Southern Cascades Forests

Sources & citations

Cite this page

For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.

Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Turnip (Brassica rapa (Rapifera Group)). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/turnip

Sources for every fact

Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited — 18 source-backed.

Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder

Botanical research database

Backs 17 fields

Identity

Summary

Plant type

Light

Moisture

Hardiness

Heat zone

Size

Spacing

Habit

Design roles

Seasonal interest

Growth stages

Lifecycle

Regional guidance

Success tips

Designer notes

Wikimedia Commons

Photo · CC BY 2.0

Backs 1 field

Image

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

University extension service

Community photos

The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.

Plotwright

Climate-aware plant planning — every plant checked against your zone now and in 2050.

support@arteractive.co

Explore

Reference

Policies

© 2026 Plotwright