Turkish Rocket (3 Plants)

Turkish Rocket: Hardy Perennial Broccoli

(Bunias orientalis)

Turkish rocket is a robust perennial vegetable native to southeastern Europe and western Asia. This member of the Brassicaceae family offers edible leaves, florets, and seedpods, making it a versatile addition to edible landscapes.

Growing to 2-3 feet tall, Turkish rocket forms a rosette of large, coarsely toothed leaves. In late spring, it produces tall spikes of small yellow flowers, followed by distinctive winged seedpods. The young leaves have a mild, slightly peppery flavor and can be used raw or cooked. The florets are where the culinary value of this plant really shines. It’s a delicious broccoli-like vegetable that will thrive under all sorts of conditions and provide for your year after year.

Turkish rocket thrives in full sun to partial shade and adapts to various soil types. It’s notably drought-tolerant once established and hardy in USDA zones 4-8. The plant is long-lived and requires minimal maintenance.

One of Turkish rocket’s key advantages is its early spring growth, providing edible greens when many other plants are just emerging. It’s also resistant to most pests and diseases that affect other brassicas.

At Humble Abode Nursery, we offer bare-root Turkish rocket plants propagated from vigorous, productive stock. Our plants are grown using organic practices to ensure healthy, resilient specimens. We cultivate Turkish rocket as part of our commitment to promoting diverse, low-maintenance perennial vegetables. This plant offers an opportunity to expand your edible perennial repertoire and increase garden resilience.

Consider adding Turkish rocket to your garden if you’re looking for easy-to-grow perennial greens, want to extend your harvest season, or are interested in exploring lesser-known edible plants.