20 Different Types Of Turnip With Images

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Since turnips are so nutrient-rich, people have been eating them as food since the first century. You may raise it throughout the fall and spring seasons, and it is available in a variety of sizes, colors, and shapes. Whether you are producing turnips in a garden or in pots, it is really simple to raise it. Check out some of the types of turnips you might not be familiar with.

If you want to learn more about these turnip varieties, scroll down and continue reading.

Types Of Turnip

Turnip

What Is A Turnip?

The turnip (Brassica rapa), sometimes known as a white turnip, is a root vegetable that is frequently grown in temperate regions of the world because of its white, fleshy taproot. The name “turnip” is a combination of “turn,” as in “turned or shaped on a lathe”, and “neep”, which comes from the Latin word, napus, meaning plant.   For human use, smaller, more delicate types are grown, whilst larger, more robust versions are developed as animal feeds.

Check out the different types of turnips below.


Mammoth Forage Turnip

1. Mammoth Forage Turnip Or Purple-Top White Globe Turnip

One of the most popular and identifiable varieties of turnip is this one. The portion of the purple top white globe turnip that is growing underground is white. Bright purple is present where it is visible above ground. The purple portion gives rise to the stems and leaves that make up turnip greens. This type of turnip is the biggest.

In 50 to 55 days, purple top turnips reach maturity and develop a 4 to 6 inch, white, spherical root with a purple top. They can be kept in a cool, humid location. They taste best in stews and braises because of their peppery flavor.


Baby Bunch Turnips

2. Baby Bunch Turnips

Baby bunch turnips are tiny and can reach a diameter of 1-2 inches. With white, purple, gold, or pink tops, they feature crunchy flesh. It tastes like a blend of radish and acidic apple. The flavor of baby turnips is earthy, sweet, and crisp. Although they are typically used sliced in salads, these types of turnips can also be eaten raw as a crunchy snack.

Turnips are often picked when they are still young, however baby turnips are pulled when they are considerably smaller than regular turnips. They lack the ability to store vegetables in a cellar, as well.


Scarlet Queen Turnips

3. Scarlet Queen Turnips

Turnips are all white, but the skin of these attractive root veggies is magenta. The slight sting of the cruciferous vegetable comes from this skin. It also has a sweet taste. For added color in salads, turnips can be roasted with other root vegetables and added to casseroles, or they can simply be consumed on their own.

The tops resemble mustard greens more than other turnip greens. As opposed to other varieties of turnips, which are round, this one is slightly flat. Early spring to late summer are the best times to plant turnip seed. After planting, they are harvested six to eight weeks later.

This is considered as one of the best types of turnips, they also taste fantastic when combined with carrots, parsley, lemon, and honey, among other components.


Shogoin Turnip

4. Shogoin Turnip

A traditional Japanese variety of turnip, shogoin turnips, are  enormous turnips can reach 20 inches in length and 8 inches in diameter. Both the white flesh and the greens are edible. The mild flavor of the wide, luscious greens’ flesh is complemented by its firmness and crispness.

This Japanese turnip can be used in salads, stir-fries, and soups in all of their sections. This is a a great choice for pickling, too.

Shogoin turnip roots can be harvested in 55–70 days, while the greens can be removed in 30–35 days. When making soups and salads, you can use both roots and greens.


White Lady Turnip

5. White Lady Turnip

This hybrid variety takes 30-35 days to harvest. Compared to purple top turnips, the white lady turnip has a milder flavor. It has a diameter of 2–3 inches and is entirely made of white flesh and skin. The soft edible greens can also be used in recipes.

When fully developed, this still has a great flavor at one or two inches. Greens can be harvested when they reach a height of two to three inches, although they will continue to grow. Regardless of its growing state, the turnip itself has a sweet, crisp flavor.


Carter Green Globe Forage Turnip

6. Carter Green Globe Forage Turnip

Carter Green Globe turnips has a variety of uses. Due to their primary use as dairy cow fodder, Carter Green Globe turnips are probably not something you’ll find in your local grocery stores. Lambs and other grazing animals are also fed on them. These turnips’ nutritional value aids the cows in producing milk.


Hakurei Turnips

7. Hakurei Turnips

One of the best hybrid performers is the Hakurei turnip. It tastes best when consumed raw or cooked. Greens from it are also utilized in cooking. Hakurei appears white and internally contains white flesh. It tastes light and really sweet. Hakurei is the perfect turnip if you want something sweet and succulent. With a maximum diameter of 3 inches, this turnip is on the smaller side.

They taste very well in salads since they are crispy, tasty, and raw, or you can eat them with greens in recipes for a naturally sweet flavor.


White Egg Turnip

8. White Egg Turnip

Another turnip variety is the white egg turnip. This vegetable’s name derives from its egg-like form. Its white flesh is crisp and tasty, but unlike other turnips, it has a high water content.

White Egg turnips, commonly referred to as Snowball turnips, have a mildly sweet turnip flavor. Based According on the amount of water in them, they might range from dry to juicy.

White egg turnips have egg-shaped roots that are 4-5 inches long and have white flesh, they can be harvested in 40–45 days. In comparison to other turnips, the white egg turnip is juicier due to its high water content. The flesh has a delicate texture and is soft. The flesh has a flavor that is sweet, soft, and crunchy, making it ideal for stews and soups.


Royal Crown Turnip

9. Royal Crown Turnip

With slightly flattened roots and a purple blotch on the top, this hybrid variety of turnip grows to a diameter of 4-5 inches. For enthusiasts of turnip greens, the fact that this hybrid turnip plant has more leaves is a plus. It has a delicate, sweet flavor that is ideal for souffle and soups. In 50 to 55 days, royal crown turnips can be harvested.


Seven Top Turnip And Topper

10. Seven Top Turnip And Topper

The primary reason for growing both seven top and topper turnips is for their nutritive greens. The plant can grow up to 18 to 22 inches in length. You need to harvest the leaves when they are young and tender for the finest flavor and taste. Seven top turnips can be harvested in 40–45 days and topper turnips can be picked in 30–35 days.

The delicious greens of seven top turnips are their key selling point. Their tasty greens are the principal use for them. This type of turnip uses all its nutrients to grow lush greens rather than a root. The turnip greens from Seven Top are delicious in salads or steamed as a side dish.


Milan Turnip

11. Milan Turnip

Milan turnips are regarded as the premium baby turnips. They taste soft, sweet, and have a buttery flavor. They are excellent for eating both raw and cooked. Milan turnips are both aesthetically pleasing and flavorful, with a white shell and vibrant red tops.


Top Star Turnip

12. Top Star Turnip

The top star turnip hybrid is grown for its tall, lobed, long green leaves rather than its roots, which are insignificant. Although it takes 30 to 35 days to harvest this type, you can select the leaves whenever they reach a length of 3 to 4 inches. The soups, salads, and stir-fries can all benefit from the addition of various turnip varieties.


Green Globe Turnip

13. Green Globe Turnip

This green turnip, which has a little resemblance to a hockey puck, is valued for its ability to provide wintertime nutrition. Animals adore greens. These turnips grow for up to 120 days in the winter. Unlike other vegetables like Brussels sprouts and cabbage, the leaves have a slightly bitter taste. The fact that they have a slightly bitter flavor belies their high nutritional value.


Gilfeather Turnip

14. Gilfeather Turnip

The heirloom variety, gilfeather turnip, is a cross between a turnip and a rutabaga, and can be harvested 70 to 75 days after the seeds are sown. This type of turnip has white inside flesh with a mild taste that has a faint potato-like undertone. The shape is kind of like an egg.   Although the flavor is mostly influenced by the soil you choose for growth. Generally speaking, they are not a real turnip.

If you want to store these types of turnips, do not peel it. For up to three weeks, they can be stored in the crisper of a refrigerator. Keep them in the root cellar for up to five months if you plan to keep them for a longer period of time. Cube, blanch, and put them in freezer bags if you plan to keep them for up to a year.


Purple Crown Turnip

15. Purple Crown Turnip

Turnips called Purple Crown have a deep purple top. These turnip types have a mild taste and are crisp when you bite into one. Purple Crown turnip greens are renowned for having exceptional flavor. The vitamins K, C, and A, as well as folate, are abundant in turnip greens.


Gold Ball Turnip

16. Gold Ball Turnip

The golden-yellow flesh and skin of the gold ball turnip have a flavor that is a little bit sweet and comparable to almonds. If harvested early, at 3–4 inches in size, like other turnips, and has a mellow flavor. It can grow up to 5–6 inches in diameter.  Although it takes 40–45 days to reach maturity. In soups or stews, combine gold ball turnips with carrots because they taste wonderful.


Purple Prince Turnip

17. Purple Prince Turnip

These types of  turnips have white roots and purple shoulders. Purple Prince turnips  have a smooth, crunchy texture and a robust turnip flavor. They also possess dark-green leaves, which is great for salads and cooking. These turnips can reach a diameter of 6 inches.


Red Round Turnip

18. Red Round Turnip

A red round turnip can be harvested in 50–55 days and has a tennis ball-sized red skin and white flesh. It can be used in soups, stews, and curries and has a crunchy, wonderful, sweet flavor. With salad dressing, these turnips are frequently consumed raw.  These Japanese turnips are among the best colorful varieties of turnips.


Manchester Market Turnip

19. Manchester Market Turnip

A 3 to  inch, globe-shaped, creamy-white root with a light green top and palatable leaves is what Manchester market turnips produce. This cultivar is incredibly simple to grow.

This is one varieties of turnip that is best kept for human consumption in the winter and early spring. The Green Top Stone is another name for this exquisite white globe with a green top. It produces a lot of round, white turnips with a mild flavor. This turnip is finest picked when it is approximately the size of a tennis ball and is best used in soups and casseroles.


Tokyo Cross Turnip

20. Tokyo Cross Turnip

Tokyo Cross turnips are among the best in terms of both flavor and sight. They have a light turnip flavor and are white in color. Their external forms can vary, and some interior browning may be present. They might be juicy or dry in consistency. Tokyo Cross turnips have a 3 to 6 inch growth range.


Turnip Nutritional Value

When turnip greens are boiled, they contain 93% water, 4% carbs, 1% protein, and very little fat. One reference serving of 100 grams of turnip greens contains 84 kilojoules/20 kilocalories of food energy. The boiled greens are a rich source, of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, and folate also having significant contents. Additionally, they are rich in lutein.

Boiling turnip root provides 92 kJ (22 kcal) in a 100-gram reference quantity, with only a small amount of vitamin C. Turnips that have been boiled have little to no other micronutrients.


History Of Turnips

Over western Asia and Europe, wild varieties of turnips and their relatives mustards and radishes can be found. Although these are not the same turnips grown for their roots, similar oilseed subspecies of Brassica rapa, including oleifera, may have undergone many domestication attempts as early as 2000 BC, from the Mediterranean to India. Furthermore, investigations of the linguistics of plant names are the only method used to date the domestication of plants.

Turnips that were edible were likely first cultivated in northern Europe and were a staple food in the Hellenistic and Roman eras. The turnip subsequently made its way east to China and, by 700 AD, reached Japan.

In antebellum American diet, turnips were a staple crop. They were cultivated for both the roots and the greens, and because they produced edible greens within a few weeks after planting, they were a mainstay of newly established farms that were still developing their yields. They might be sown as late as the fall and still offer settlers who had just arrived nourishment. Turnip greens were typically prepared in the South by boiling them along with a huge piece of bacon. When little else was available on the antebellum frontier, the broth created by this technique, known as pot likker, was commonly made from coarse meal and eaten with crumbled corn pone.

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