Raphanus sativus 'Sparkler'
radish 'Sparkler'
Has round roots which are bright red with a white tip, and crisp white flesh with a mild flavour. Radishes, Raphanus sativus, are annuals or biennials which germinate fast and grow fast, with lobed, dark green leaves to about 15-20cm high, and succulent, sharp-tasting edible enlarged taproots which can be harvested about four weeks after sowing, and can be round, tapering, or cylindrical, and have red, white, green, yellow, purple, or black skin, while the flesh is usually white but may be red or purple; if plants are left long enough, for example when grown as a cover crop or green manure, to grow to about 90cm then they can produce white or pale lilac flowers which provide both nectar and pollen for bees.
Buy this plant
Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metresTime to ultimate height
1–2 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green | |||
| Autumn | Green | |||
| Winter | Green |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered Hardiness
H2Botanical details
- Family
- Brassicaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Bushy
- Genus
Raphanus can be annual, biennial or perennial herbaceous plants, often with lyrate, glaucous leaves, small, four-petalled flowers and indehiscent fruits. Edible species are cultivated as annual vegetables (radish)
- Name status
Unresolved
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in full light or light shade, ideally in light, rich, near-neutral, and moist but well-drained soil; sow seed at frequent intervals from early spring to late summer, so that there is a succession of crops; sow in rows 15cm apart, at a depth of 1-2cm, and sow at or thin to a spacing of about 3 cm apart, and harvest them when young so that they do not become woody; for more advice, see radish cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by seed sown 1-2cm deep, from early spring to late summer
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
No pruning required
Pests
May be susceptible to flea beetles, slugs and snails and cabbage root fly
Diseases
Radishes may be affected by brassica downy mildew, and by brassica white blister, club root, damping off, fungal leaf spot, and virus diseases
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.