Wasabi

Plant family

Crucifers (Brassicaceae)

Season Overview

Details

Germination temperature

12 – 18 °C (Degrees Celsius)

Plant distance

30 cm

Row spacing

40 cm

Seeding depth

1 cm

Instructions

Description

Wasabi, also called Japanese horseradish, is a perennial herbaceous plant prized especially for its pungent root. It is native to Japan, where it grows wild along shady, moist stream banks in mountainous regions. The root is grated and used in Japanese cuisine as a spicy condiment paste, for example with sushi. True wasabi is very demanding to cultivate and is rare outside Japan. It is often replaced by dyed horseradish. Wasabi develops large heart-shaped leaves and produces small white flowers on long stems.

Growing tips

Wasabi requires cool temperatures (8-20 °C) and high humidity - ideal are stream banks or shady greenhouses. The plant is very sensitive to heat and direct sunlight. Regular watering with clean, cool water is essential. The rhizomes (not roots) are the edible part and develop slowly over the years. When flowering, tuber formation can stagnate - flowers break out early if no seeds are desired.