I first see garden rocket , Eruca sativa , when I made a spring panzanella salad several years ago . I ’d never used the leafy green before , but I was purloin from the first peppery insect bite .
And when I jump shopping for seeds to grow my own , what a surprise it was to discover so many different variety were available .
If you ’ve not yet fallen in erotic love with the peppery deliciousness of thismember of the Brassicaceae family , it ’s probably because you just have n’t tasted the right variety . Or possibly you ’ve only eat the bagged stuff that is sold at the food market store .
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One fresh - picked bite , and I can almost secure that you ’ll be hooked !
I ’ve rounded up a list of nine lusciously zippy varieties for you to deal get in your veg patch . If you ’re young to produce this leafy green , you could see our full guide onhow to grow roquette here .
Since the plant grow so quickly , you could beharvesting arugula leavesfor your own salad in just a few weeks .
Without further stir , I give the nine near variety show for you to grow outdoors or indoors , all year round .
9 of the Best Arugula Varieties for Your Garden
1 . Astro
2 . Garden Tangy
3 . Italian Cress
4 . Red Dragon
5 . Rocket
6 . Selvatica
7 . Slow Bolt
8 . Wasabi
9 . Wild Rocket
For those of you who like arugula but not so much the spicy kick of some motley , the ‘ Astro ’ cultivar ’s mild , yet peppery spirit might be a perfect match .
‘ Astro ’
Harvest baby green in just three weeks , or wait the full 38 day for even milder mature leave of absence . The edible lily-white flowers can also clear up your salads .
However , keep in nous that after flowering , the leave-taking tend to savor a little sharper .
Seed packets with 400 heirloom seeds areavailable from Botanical Interests .
This cultivar comes straightaway from Italy , making it a perfect garnish for all of your Italian - mode beauty . With a racy flavor and frilly leaf sharpness remindful of kale , ‘ Garden Tangy ’ adds a thrill to pasta dishes , salads , and more .
‘ Garden Tangy ’
It ’s also quick to mature . In just 30 - 35 days , you may tweak 10- to 12 - in leave of absence from the plant . Like all rocket assortment , this one have it away cool weather and sunshine .
packet of 800 seminal fluid areavailable at Burpee .
With bombastic , pelf - like leaves , ‘ Italian Cress ’ is an ideal gain to salad and sandwiches . It ’s also commodious for those who struggle with longanimity , because each leaf provides lots of edible greenery compared to other , close varieties .
‘ Italian Cress ’
This essentially means you do n’t have to pick as much at one fourth dimension in ordination to savor a salad . And this is also helpful for those who acquire greens indoors over the winter and gardener who have modified blank .
The large leaves can also be sauteed like spinach , or add to soup and stews . ‘ Italian Cress ’ matures in just 30 24-hour interval .
you may encounter packet of 500 seedsavailable from Walmart .
Back in my yard in Oklahoma , I had a big , beautiful oak tree Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that dropped gorgeous leaves and tiny acorns all over the front lawn every fall .
The ‘ Red Dragon ’ cultivar , with its serrated , oak - leaf - shaped leaves , prompt me of that tree .
‘ Red Dragon ’
Except for the fact that my oak tree ’s leaves did n’t feature a scarlet vena ramify through the center . How neat is that ?
This is the perfect assortment for a deliciously striking salad . And with its mildly peppery flavor , you may serve it to guests who ’ve never tried garden rocket before for a flavorful , but not overbearing , first impression .
Another ho-hum - grower , this plant matures in 45 day , reaching a height of just five to six inches at maturity .
you’re able to get bundle containing 1,000 seedsfrom Burpee .
Crisp and thinly peppery , the ‘ skyrocket ’ cultivar is the dream base for any salad . I used ‘ Rocket ’ in that fatal spring panzanella salad that led me to be enamored with arugula forevermore .
This is the case of rocket salad most of us are intimate with , as it ’s commonly available in supermarket . But the flavor is even adept when it ’s picked fresh from your own veg patch .
‘ rocket engine ’
It ’s no wonder this is the most popular form of the leafy green . If you ’ve never try uprise rocket before , this heirloom cultivar is a serious place to start .
maturate in just 40 days , this coolheaded - season vegetable grows six to 12 inches tall at maturity , in a gay or partially shady spot .
bundle of certified organic seed are available in various sizesat Eden Brothers .
If you live in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 and up , you might do good from the heat - liberal qualities of ‘ Selvatica . ’ This cultivar resembles the uncivilized , feisty weed from whence all mod cultivated types of arugula come .
‘ Selvatica ’
A tangy , sun - loving cultivar , these leaves produce to about 10 to 12 inches marvelous at adulthood , plants disperse four to seven inches , and they mature super promptly , in just 30 days .
Packets of 500 constitutional ‘ Selvatica ’ seeds areavailable at Burpee .
Hot atmospheric condition can cause arugula to grow more quickly and bolt , which means it can start to flower and go to cum almost faster than you’re able to glean it .
That ’s why heirloom ‘ Slow Bolt ’ is another winner for nurseryman living in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 and up .
‘ dull Bolt ’
This assortment matures in 43 day – agescompared to some non - slow - bolting varieties . And this timbre gives you more time to reap those tender sister leaves .
The large mature leaves can be used not only raw in salads and sandwiches , but can be tot to soups and stews for a mildly peppery kick as well .
you’re able to find seeds in a variety show of package sizesat True Leaf Market .
As its name propose , the supernumerary - spicy ‘ Wasabi ’ cultivar goes utterly with sushi or in Asian - inspired spicy ground gripe simoleons wraps , a recipe I plainly love , which you canfind on our babe site , Foodal .
‘ Wasabi ’
A frost - dauntless variety , ‘ Wasabi ’ wish to grow in the outflow , summer , and fall . It takes a small longer to shoot than other varieties , so do n’t be horrify if seedlings do n’t nose through the soil right away .
‘ Wasabi ’ takes 10 to 12 Clarence Day to burgeon forth . But you could harvest the spoonful - shaped leaves four to five weeks later . Yum !
Get 500 seeded player for this piquant palate pleaser today fromthe Park Seed Store via Amazon .
For a slim , almost weedy - looking plant that packs a sheer flavor , try ‘ Wild Rocket . ’ This repeated cultivar even grows like a Mary Jane , get to skyscraper - esque tiptop of 20 in at maturity date .
‘ Wild Rocket ’
Boasting a unassailable savor than its tamer Twin Falls , ‘ Rocket , ’ ‘ Wild Rocket ’ is a unadulterated substitute for basil in any pesto recipe – like this onefrom our sister situation , Foodal .
Why not grow the ‘ Wild Rocket ’ variety alongside even ‘ rocket salad ’ for a tasty contrast of nuttiness and peppery relish in your salads ?
This variety matures in about 40 Clarence Shepard Day Jr. .
Packets of seeds in a motley of size of it areavailable at Eden Brothers .
Everyone Can Get a Ticket to Arugula-Land
The near matter about garden rocket is that there ’s a cultivar out there to suit everyone ’s personal tastes . Try growing several together and see which one ( or ones ) you love best .
Your taste buds will give thanks you . And so will your resistant organization – with all its vitamins and food , roquette loves to help you stay sound .
All the more reason to jump farm it right forth !
And do n’t pretermit these articles on other deliciouslyhealthy cruciferous vegetablesto grow at home base :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more item . Originally published February 5th , 2020 . Last update January 19th , 2025 . Cartesian product picture via : Burpee , Eden Brothers , Park Seed Store , Seed Kingdom , and True Leaf Market . Uncredited photograph : Shutterstock . With additional piece of writing and editing by Clare Groom and Allison Sidhu .
About
Laura Ojeda Melchor
