Fairly erect plant to 90 cm tall. Leaves are lobed, with a larger, rounded, terminal lobe and smaller, paired lower segments. Irregularly toothed. Flowers have four white to pink or violet petals and four sepals. The plant is grown in gardens for its fleshy, edible taproot.

Usually found as a casual garden escape, often close to habitation, or on rubbish tips or waste ground.

May flower at any time during the warmer months of the year.

An annual or biennial herb.

Widespread as an occasional casual in Britain.

Rare or under recorded casual in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in only 1 of the 617 tetrads.