What is arugula?
Arugula is a peppery, distinctive-tasting green that originated in the Mediterranean region. It’s also known as rucola, salad rocket, and Italian cress. Arugula is a member of the Brassica, or Cruciferous, family. This classification includes mostly cruciferous vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower, and broccoli.
Those are the 9 main Arugula Varieties
1. ASTRO
For those of you who like arugula but not so much the spicy kick of some varieties, the ‘Astro’ cultivar’s mild, yet peppery flavor might be a perfect match.
Harvest baby greens in just three weeks, or wait the full 38 days for even milder mature leaves. The edible white flowers can also brighten up your salads. However, keep in mind that after flowering, the leaves tend to taste a little sharper.
2. GARDEN TANGY
This cultivar comes directly from Italy, making it a perfect garnish for all of your Italian-style dishes. With a spicy flavor and frilly leaf edges reminiscent of kale, ‘Garden Tangy’ adds a kick to pasta dishes, salads, and more.
It’s also quick to mature. In just 30-35 days, you can pluck 10- to 12-inch leaves from the plant. Like all arugula varieties, this one loves cool weather and sunshine.
3. ITALIAN CRESS
With large, lettuce-like leaves, ‘Italian Cress’ is an ideal addition to salads and sandwiches. It’s also convenient for those who struggle with patience, because each leaf provides lots of edible greenery compared to other, skinnier varieties.
This basically means you don’t have to pick as much at one time in order to enjoy a salad. And this is also helpful for those who grow greens indoors over the winter and gardeners who have limited space.
The large leaves can also be sauteed like spinach, or added to soups and stews. ‘Italian Cress’ matures in just 30 days.
4. RED DRAGON
Back in my yard in Oklahoma, I had a big, beautiful oak tree that dropped gorgeous leaves and tiny acorns all over the front lawn every fall.
The ‘Red Dragon’ cultivar, with its serrated, oak-leaf-shaped leaves, reminds me of that tree.
Except for the fact that my oak tree’s leaves didn’t feature a red vein branching through the center. How neat is that?
This is the perfect variety for a deliciously striking salad. And with its mildly peppery flavor, you can serve it to guests who’ve never tried arugula before for a flavorful, but not overbearing, first impression.
Another slow-grower, this plant matures in 45 days, reaching a height of just 5-6 inches at maturity.
5. ROCKET
Crisp and lightly peppery, the ‘Rocket’ cultivar is the dream base for any salad. I used ‘Rocket’ in that fateful spring panzanella salad that led me to be enamored with arugula forevermore.
This is the type of arugula most of us are familiar with, as it’s commonly available in supermarkets. But the flavor is even better when it’s picked fresh from your own veggie patch.
It’s no wonder this is the most popular variety of the leafy green. If you’ve never tried growing arugula before, this heirloom cultivar is a good place to start.
Maturing in just 40 days, this cool-season vegetable grows 6-12 inches tall at maturity, in a sunny or partly shady spot.
6. SELVATICA
If you live in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 and up, you might benefit from the heat-tolerant qualities of ‘Selvatica.’ This cultivar resembles the wild, plucky weed from whence all modern cultivated types of arugula came.
A tangy, sun-loving cultivar, these leaves grow to about 10-12 inches tall at maturity, plants spread 4-7 inches, and they mature super quickly, in just 30 days.
7. SLOW BOLT
Hot weather can cause arugula to grow more quickly and bolt, which means it can begin to flower and go to seed almost faster than you can harvest it.
That’s why heirloom ‘Slow Bolt’ is another winner for gardeners living in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 and up.
This variety matures in 43 days – ages compared to some non-slow-bolting varieties. And this quality gives you more time to harvest those tender baby leaves.
The larger mature leaves can be used not only raw in salads and sandwiches, but can be added to soups and stews for a mildly peppery kick as well.
8. WASABI
As its name suggests, the extra-spicy ‘Wasabi’ cultivar goes perfectly with sushi or in Asian-inspired spicy ground beef lettuce wraps, a recipe I simply love, which you can find on our sister site, Foodal.
A frost-hardy variety, ‘Wasabi’ likes to grow in the spring, summer, and fall. It takes a little longer to germinate than other varieties, so don’t be alarmed if seedlings don’t poke through the soil right away.
‘Wasabi’ takes 10-12 days to germinate. But you can harvest the spoon-shaped leaves four to five weeks later. Yum!
9. WILD ROCKET
For a slim, almost weedy-looking plant that packs a bold flavor, try ‘Wild Rocket.’ This perennial cultivar even grows like a weed, reaching skyscraper-esque heights of 20 inches at maturity.
Boasting a stronger flavor than its tamer twin, ‘Rocket,’ ‘Wild Rocket’ is a perfect substitute for basil in any pesto recipe – like this one from our sister site, Foodal.
This variety matures in about 40 days.
The Information above (Arugula Varieties from Here)
What are the benefits of arugula?
Arugula’s popularity has as much to do with its health benefits as its taste. One study cites arugula as being particularly high in cancer-fighting agents.
This delicious green is a nutrient-dense food that is high in fiber and phytochemicals. Arugula is low in sugar, calories, carbohydrates, and fat. It’s high in several vital nutrients. These include:
Calcium, which helps the blood to clot normally. It’s also necessary for bone health, tooth health, muscle function, and nerve function.
Potassium, a mineral and an electrolyte that’s vital for heart and nerve function. It also helps the muscles contract normally. Potassium helps to reduce the negative effects of sodium, and it may be beneficial for people with high blood pressure for this reason.
Folate, a B vitamin. It helps support the production of DNA and other genetic material. It’s particularly important for women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Folate deficiency in pregnant women may lead to spina bifida, a neural tube defect.
Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that helps support the immune system. Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is important for tissue health and the absorption of iron from food.
Vitamin K, which helps with blood coagulation. If you require a prescription blood thinner, such as warfarin (Coumadin), discuss your vitamin K intake with your doctor prior to changing your eating habits.
Vitamin A, the umbrella term for a group of fat-soluble retinoids. Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant, which supports immune function, cell growth, night vision, and overall eye health. It also works to help maintain kidney, lung, and heart function.
Arugula vs. other greens
Unlike many subtler-tasting salad greens, arugula’s highly distinctive and peppery crunch adds flair to salads and other cold dishes. Like parsley, it can be chewed to help combat sour breath.
Arugula can be used in addition to, or in lieu of, most types of lettuce and herbs. It also boasts a distinctive leaf shape. Arugula’s flowers, seeds, and leaves are all edible.
How to use it
Arugula is delicious raw, and it can be used as a healthy add-on topping for pizza, nachos, sandwiches, and wraps. It can be served as a side salad with nothing more than a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. It also makes an excellent base for more substantial salad recipes. Try adding cherry tomatoes, grilled chicken, and walnuts to arugula for a protein-packed, low-calorie meal.
Arugula’s leaf shape and taste also make it an interesting complement to citrus fruit and berry salads. Arugula can be used as an alternative to basil to make hot or cold pesto.
When arugula is cooked, it loses some of its peppery punch, becoming mellower in taste.
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