A turnip is a round vegetable with a greenish-white skin that is the root of a crop. Hardy biennial plant in the mustard family, cultivated for its fleshy roots and tender leaves. There are two species, the turnip proper (Brassica rapa) and the Swedish turnip, or rutabaga. The true turnip probably originated in middle and eastern Asia and spread by cultivation throughout the temperate zone. Both species are cool-season crops. Turnips develop rapidly enough to have an early-spring or late-summer seeding produce a crop before, respectively, extremes of summer or late-fall weather occur
A cool-weather, white-fleshed root vegetable that is easy to grow The so-called "yellow turnip" is actually a rutabaga Choose smaller turnips because young turnips have a delicate, somewhat sweet flavor that becomes stronger with age