Going underground

These underground stems grow at the bottom of ponds.

This plant’s bitter roots are used to treat many illnesses.

The white root turns purple when exposed to sunlight.

The red juice from beets is used as a natural food coloring.

Air channels form a distinctive pattern.

This root becomes sweeter after winter frosts. Heaviest carrot 22 1⁄2 lb (10.17 kg)

Cats (Weight of two cats)

The world’s heaviest carrot was grown by Christopher Qualley of Minnesota, in 2017. It weighed in at 22 1⁄2 lb (10.17 kg)—around the same weight as that of two cats!

Vegetables that grow underground can be stored for long periods of time, making them important food crops, especially when other foods are scarce. The swollen roots store energy, which the plants use to regrow in the spring—if they are not eaten first! Many underground vegetables, including parsnips, beets, carrots, rutabagas, and daikons, are made of swollen roots, but others store energy in different ways. Arrowhead and taro plants store energy in bulblike stems called corms, while lotus roots are modified stems that grow

This underground stem is an important food in tropical regions of Africa and Asia. This large root can grow up to 12 in (30 cm) long and is eaten as a winter food by people and cattle.

Colorful varieties are grown for their high vitamin content.

These peppery roots are eaten raw in salads

This tropical root is used to produce flour and can also be eaten as a vegetable.

The knobbly tubers become sweeter when left in the sun.

Long white roots grow up to 23 1⁄2 in (60 cm) long and are a popular food in Asia.

These crunchy roots taste sweet and come in a variety of colors. horizontally, called rhizomes. Potatoes and ocas are tubers made from swollen stems and have spots called eyes from which new shoots can grow. Many root vegetables are vital food sources. Cassava, for example, can be grown in poor, dry soils and is a staple food in many parts of Africa. The dandelion is perhaps best known for its yellow flowers, but its roots can be used to make tea, which is believed to have medicinal properties.