Editing Turnip (section)

== Description ==
[[File:Hakurei turnips (49856034022).jpg|thumb|A bunch of Hakurei turnips]]
The most common type of turnip is mostly white-skinned, apart from the upper {{convert|1|to|6|cm|in|frac=2|abbr=off}}, which protrude above the ground and are purple or red or greenish where the sun has hit. This above-ground part develops from stem tissue but is fused with the root.{{Citation needed|date=February 2017}} The interior flesh is entirely white. The root is roughly globular, from {{convert|5|-|20|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} in diameter, and lacks side roots. Underneath, the [[taproot]] (the normal root below the swollen storage root) is thin and {{convert|10|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} or more in length; it is often trimmed off before the vegetable is sold. The leaves grow directly from the above-ground shoulder of the root, with little or no visible crown or neck (as found in [[rutabaga]]s).{{Citation needed|date=October 2011}}

Turnip [[spring greens|leaves]] are sometimes eaten as "turnip greens" ("turnip tops" in the UK), and they resemble [[Brassica juncea|mustard greens]] (to which they are closely related) in flavor. Turnip greens are a common side dish in southeastern U.S. cooking, primarily during late fall and winter. Smaller leaves are preferred. Varieties of turnip grown specifically for their leaves resemble mustard greens and have small roots. These include [[rapini]] (broccoli rabe), [[bok choy]], and [[Chinese cabbage]]. Similar to raw [[cabbage]] or [[radish]], turnip leaves and roots have a pungent flavor that becomes milder after cooking.{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}}

Turnip roots weigh up to {{convert|1|kg|lb|0|abbr=off}}, although they are usually harvested when smaller. Size is partly a function of variety and partly a function of the length of time a turnip has grown.