'Maltese' Arugula

Eruca sativa Origin: Malta Improvement status: Landrace Seeds per packet: ~100 Germination tested 12/2024: 98% Life cycle: Annual or Biennial EFN co-founder Nate Kleinman was given seeds for this arugula in Malta by Emanuela de Giorgio, who maintains one of the Mediterranean island nation's only publicly accessible seed banks in a cabinet at her small business. Emanuela runs an adorable farm market/thrift store/community center called The Veg Box @ The Farmoury, next to the famed Il-Majjistral Nature & History Park located in the northeast corner of the main island of Malta. If you're ever in Malta, it's well worth a visit!This arugula produces good-sized leaves with purple mid-ribs on drought-tolerant plants. It is beefier and slower to bolt than many other commonly available arugulas, with a strong, spicy flavor. The plant is an ancient Mediterranean vegetable, so we believe there's a good chance this is an old landrace from Malta, but we can't be certain (it came to us from a gl