Family Fabaceae/Leguminosae

Prairie turnip is the edible tuberous root of an herbaceous perennial plant native to the central plains of North America. It boasts many English and Native American names, including breadroot, tipsin, teepsenee, pomme blanche (as it was known by early European settlers), and timpsula (its Lakota name). The plant’s hairy stems support clusters of purple and blue flowers in the summertime. The dark brown roots grow up to 4 inches/10 centimeters long and 1 inch/2.5 centimeters in diameter. The sweet turnip flavor of the root is most apparent when it is eaten raw. It can be cooked like most other starchy root vegetables—boiled, roasted, mashed, or sautéed—and it can be dried and ground into flour. At this point, the prairie turnip is not cultivated commercially, so foraging or planting are the only options for sourcing.