Use this tag for questions on plants with an underground edible part that is used as a vegetable. Examples: Carrots, beets, potatoes, onions, ginger, etc.
In horticulture, agriculture, and culinary usage, the term "root vegetable" refers to any plant with an edible part below ground. However, botany distinguishes between true roots (tuberous roots and taproots) and non-roots (tubers, rhizomes, corms, bulbs).
Here are some examples of this classification:
True root vegetables:
- Taproot Carrot, parsnip, radish
- Tuberous Root Sweet potato, cassava
Non-roots eaten as vegetables:
- Corm Chinese water chestnut
- Rhizome Turmeric, root ginger
- Tuber Potato, yams
- Bulb Onion, garlic
Corms, Rhizomes, and Tubers are considered "modified stems" rather than true roots.
