RAMPION
If you are familiar with the Grimm brothers' fairy tale about Rapunzel ('Rapunzel, let down your golden hair'), you might know that 'Rapunzel' is also another name for this edible plant. The fairy tale revolves around the theft of rampions from a witch's (or magician's) garden.
Rampion is a hardy biennial plant native to southern Europe, with edible white roots, up to 10 inches long. The roots are eaten raw in salads, frequently with beets and celery, or cooked like turnips. The long, oval leaves which form a rosette at the root crown can also be used in salads or cooked like spinach. Sometimes the young shoots are prepared like asparagus. Once very popular, especially in England during Shakespeare's time, rampions are not widely cultivated today.
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