Perennial Arugula
Diplotaxis tenuifolia
Also listed as Sisymbrium tenuifolium, Brassica muralis
Also known as Perennial Wall-rocket, Wall Rocket, Perennial Rocket
Climate Match for your location
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Perennial arugula is a long-lived, peppery leafy green that produces tender, deeply lobed leaves year-round in mild climates and regrows vigorously after harvest. Unlike annual arugula, it forms a more substantial plant and tolerates repeated cutting, making it ideal for continuous harvesting in permaculture systems.
Why grow it
Perennial arugula offers a longer harvest window than annual arugula varieties, producing leaves for multiple seasons in temperate climates rather than a single flush. It tolerates repeated cutting better than Eruca sativa (garden arugula), recovering quickly to produce successive harvests without replanting. The deeper root system and woody base make it better suited to perennial vegetable polycultures where annual replanting is impractical.
Watch out for
Leaf quality and pungency decline as plants mature, requiring periodic cutting back or division to maintain tender growth. In cooler climates, productivity drops significantly during winter months, so supplemental protection or succession planting may be needed for year-round supply. Like other brassicas, it can attract flea beetles and cabbage family pests, necessitating monitoring in integrated pest management systems.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Brassicaceae
Native Range
Mediterranean
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Notable Cultivars
No widely recognized named cultivars exist; plants are typically sold as species seed or divisions. Seed sourced from Europe tends to be slightly more robust and cold-tolerant than domesticated strains.
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
Perennial arugula is a long-lived, peppery leafy green that produces tender, deeply lobed leaves year-round in mild climates and regrows vigorously after harvest. Unlike annual arugula, it forms a more substantial plant and tolerates repeated cutting, making it ideal for continuous harvesting in permaculture systems.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Perennial Arugula grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Perennial arugula offers a longer harvest window than annual arugula varieties, producing leaves for multiple seasons in temperate climates rather than a single flush. It tolerates repeated cutting better than Eruca sativa (garden arugula), recovering quickly to produce successive harvests without replanting. The deeper root system and woody base make it better suited to perennial vegetable polycultures where annual replanting is impractical.
Watch out for
Leaf quality and pungency decline as plants mature, requiring periodic cutting back or division to maintain tender growth. In cooler climates, productivity drops significantly during winter months, so supplemental protection or succession planting may be needed for year-round supply. Like other brassicas, it can attract flea beetles and cabbage family pests, necessitating monitoring in integrated pest management systems.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Brassicaceae
Native Range
Mediterranean
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
Similar herbs you might consider:
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Companion Planting
Plants well with
Notable Cultivars
No widely recognized named cultivars exist; plants are typically sold as species seed or divisions. Seed sourced from Europe tends to be slightly more robust and cold-tolerant than domesticated strains.