The Rutabaga and the Turnip - A Little History and Some Growing Instructions Rutabagas and turnips belong to the brassica family which includes cabbage, cauliflowers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and mustard among other vegetables. Turnips have been cultivated for thousands of years and are probably native to both Europe and central and western Asia. Rutabagas, which are often called Swede turnips, combine the thick turnip-like roots with bluish green leaves that resemble cabbage leaves. Because of this combination, many have theorized that rutabagas developed as a cross (intentional or unintentional) between turnips and some wild form of cabbage. Since rutabagas are such extremely hardy plants that grow well in Northern Europe and Russia, a hybrid cross could have occurred sometime during the Middle Ages. European colonists brought turnips to
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