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cultivated beet
Scientific Name: Beta procumbens
Family: Chenopodiaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth: Forb/herb
Duration: Annual
Other Names:
Beta vulgaris: A Versatile Crop
The cultivated beet, scientifically known as Beta vulgaris, is a plant with a rich history and diverse uses. It's known by several common names, depending on the cultivar, including beetroot, table beet, garden beet, and sugar beet.
Considerations for Pets
- Beets are often grown in gardens and may be accessible to pets.
Considerations for Children
- Beetroot produces green tops that can be eaten.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Beta vulgaris
- Family: Chenopodiaceae (Goosefoot family)
- Cultivars: Includes sugar beet, beetroot, chard, and fodder beet (e.g., mangelwurzel).
- Synonyms: Common garden beet, table beet
- Note: Sea beet (Beta vulgaris maritima) is considered a common wild ancestor.
Distribution and Habitat
- Beta vulgaris is native to Eurasia.
- Sugar beets are commercially grown worldwide in cooler, temperate climates.
Ecological Role
- Wild beet can hybridize with cultivated beets, leading to gene flow between the two.
- Volunteer beets can arise from bolters in open-pollinated cultivars and hybrids between wild and cultivated beets.
Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits
- Cultivated beets are biennials, although typically grown as annuals.
- Beetroot produces green tops and a swollen taproot during its first year.
Uses
- Cultivated for its root (beetroot, sugar beet) and leaves (chard).
- Used as food for both animals and humans.
- Sugar beet accounts for about 30% of the world's sugar production.
- Other varieties are grown for fodder, as leaf vegetables, or as root vegetables.
Quirky Facts
- "Blood Turnip" was once a common name for beetroot cultivars grown in gardens.