Wild radish and sowing radish belong to the same cruciferous family. Both plants have a lot of useful properties, but the wild one contains a potent poison and requires careful handling.
The wild crop is a flowering weed with a tall and twisting stem. The buds can be white, yellow or purple. Flowering occurs from early summer to mid-autumn, after which a pod with seeds forms on the plant, with the help of which the weed propagates by self-sowing.
Wild radish contains a large amount of poison during flowering
One of the main advantages of the wild culture is its melliferousness. A large amount of nectar is a storehouse of substances valuable and useful for the human body.
The root of the weed is poisonous, it cannot be used, only the green ground part of the stem with leaves has healing properties. But its use for medicinal purposes is possible only after complete drying. It is in dry form that all toxic substances evaporate from the radish, and it can be used in folk medicine to treat diseases of the respiratory system, wounds and organs of the gastrointestinal tract.
The plant contains the most poison during the flowering period.
Careless use or contact with the plant can cause serious poisoning of the body. As a result of intoxication, a malfunction of the heart is observed up to a complete stop of the heart muscle.
In some countries, it is customary to add weed leaves that have not yet bloomed to salads and snacks.
The main similarity between wild radish and common radish is in their benefits. But if you need to be extremely careful with a wild plant, then the sowing culture is completely safe at any stage of the growing season.
In contrast to the wild one, in the garden crop, only the root crop is suitable for food. It has a dense texture, pleasant bitter taste and aroma.
The main benefit of the root vegetable is a high content of vitamins, minerals and essential oils, which have a bactericidal, diuretic, strengthening effect.
In addition to pronounced healing qualities, garden radish has such advantages as unpretentious care, frost resistance and long-term storage. It can be eaten fresh, added to salads or as a standalone snack, or processed. Or after heat treatment.
Both types of plants have their own value, have a beneficial effect on the body, and help in the complex therapy of many diseases. But, unlike sowing, wild-growing radish must be used with extreme caution, as it contains toxic substances.