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Platysace deflexa, known as youlk or Ravensthorpe radish, is a small tuberous perennial herb or shrub from south-western Western Australia, grown for its edible tubers. It needs sandy or gravelly, well-drained soil and a sunny spot.
Platysace deflexa, known by its Noongar name youlk or as Ravensthorpe radish, is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a tuberous, perennial herb or shrub with linear leaves and white flowers in a compound umbel.
Youlk grows in sandy, loamy or gravelly soils on plains and ridges in the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest and Mallee bioregions of south-western Western Australia.
Platysace deflexa is similar to the related Platysace maxwellii which grows in areas further north, and the edible tubers of the plant are a traditional food source of the indigenous Noongar people of Western Australia. The tubers can be harvested throughout the year and, similarly to sweet potato, the plant will continue to grow more as long as the main plant and suckers aren't over-harvested. Youlk tubers can be used similarly to potatoes, with a crisp texture. Some commercial growers have begun experimenting with growing youlk on a commercial basis, including indigenous community-run businesses. As of 2019, youlk plants are also available for purchase from garden centres in Western Australia.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Platysace deflexa by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
