Turnip, a vegetable with edible roots and leaves. The roots (also called turnips) and the leaves (called turnip greens) are eaten by humans or are fed to animals. Turnip greens are also plowed under to add organic matter to the soil. Turnips are native to the Old World. They have been cultivated for at least 4,000 years, and grow in many areas of the world.
Turnips are grown from seed and do best when grown during cool seasons. The plants grow up to about two feet (60 cm). They have long, slender, hairy leaves. The roots, two to three inches (5 to 7.5 cm) in diameter, have a whitish flesh. There are many turnip varieties, including the Purple Top Globe, Yellow Globe, and White Milan. They vary chiefly in shape and color of the root.
Rutabagas are sometimes called turnips, Swedish turnips, or winter turnips, but belong to a different species.
The turnip is Brassica rapa of the mustard family, Cruciferae.Turnips are white-yellow vegetables with fleshy roots.