Commonly known in Britain as Oilseed Rape this plant is one of the world’s leading sources of vegetable oil. Rape oil has many uses including as industrial lubricant and in the manufacture of bio diesel. It belongs in the same family as mustard and cabbage, Brassicaceae. The leaves and young flowers are edible, the leaves when cooked are said to be similar to bok choi. Rapeseed is first recorded in Britain over six hundred years ago when it would have been grown in which the young leaves would have been used in winter and spring salads. It is know a regular seasonal sight en masse in agricultural fields and as an escapee, pretty much anywhere. There is a lot around the East end canals where this photo was taken. The English name derives from the Latin rapa – a turnip.
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