Rootbeet

The rootbeet is a plant with wide tubular roots usually grown for culinary purposes; not to be confused with beetroot. It is also known for being one of the two types of beets used in the making of Burakwino. Together with other beet cultivars such as dobrybeet and beetroot, it is a variant of Beta vulgaris.

Additional Information

Domestication

Similarly to beetroot, rootbeet is a B.Vulgaris variant cultivated for an enlarged taproot. However, unlike beetroot, it has an elongated taproot with a bulbous end, which degenerates into a tuber at the end of every seasonal cycle. When harvested, the taproot is easily broken, and then the tuber starts the next cycle, allowing for asexual reproduction.
The rootbeet is well adapted to cold climate, and optimally grows in frost covered soil, at temperatures of -12°C to 4°C; these conditions are constantly present in the Smokaczny Okręg of Waleapia.