No, they bear a superficial resemblance, but are quite distinct. Both the same species, but Daikons were developed in East Asia - Japan, Korea, China. White Icicle is a European type. Different in terms of the crop cycle -- European types are super quick, usually 20-30 days for most of them. Daikons can be as long as 70-80 days. Also a big difference in size - your average European radish is an inch or two across, maybe 3-4 inches long for the icicle shaped ones when at edible size. I think the world record Asian type radish is 68 1/2 lbs. Daikon is only one type of Asian radish -- there are long ones, round ones, short ones, etc, just as with the European type. You mentioned that your white icicles are a foot long -- I could see them doing that in good conditions, but I don't know if the quality would be good at that point -- they get awfully spongy when overgrown. Daikons generally avoid this fate for a long, long time, until they're in bloom.

Some radish cultivars have leaves that are not prickly, and these can be eaten raw. "Hong Vit", from Johnnys, is pretty good, and quite ornamental From Evergreen: "Pearl" is excellent raw. "4 Seasons" is slightly bitter. "Sai Sai" failed to germinate in my hands The 4 cultivars listed above were bred for their leaves, not for their roots. But I sometimes get good roots from "Hong Vit". The leaves are usually mild, but sometimes get a little hot. "China Express" has hairless leaves that have mild to moderate heat but are slightly bitter. The above ground portion of the root is quite mild, while the underground portion is just as hot as a typical American red globe radish found in supermarkets and salad bars. This is a spring radish. "Watermelon Type Radishes" are Chinese radishes with green skin and red flesh, and should be planted early fall. Their leaves are hairless and fairly mild but may be slightly bitter. Same comments for Chinese radishes that are grown in the fall and have either green/white skin with green/white flesh. About 1-2 years ago, I had a thread in the Asian forum on Garden Web, about eating the leaves of Asian radishes. I plan on updating that, possibly in about a month from now.

olya forgot the obligatory riumochka of vodka that usually follows the bite of radish... reading this is kinda funny 'cause i was just munching on some radishes wonder WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH ALL THESE RADISHES???? and silvia gave me some ideas. in one of my north african cookbooks, the author mentions that in tunisia they use radishes interchangeably with turnips... now if i can only figure out what to do with all the turnips i have so i can start using my radishes as turnips... anyway, i planted hybrid radishes for the first time this year and i am totally sold. for a few cents more, no splitting and better flavor.

Reed, You're going to have radishes coming out of your ears. I have learned over the years not to plant more radishes than I want to eat, except they do make a great trap crop for flea beetles, and I grow rat-tail radishes all summer with squash as a companion plant. I like radishes but only grow a few because I only want to eat so many at any given time. Larry, A lot of my fall/winter 2012 plants have gone to seed, some have been pulled and replaced with new plants for spring, etc., but I still have some lettuce, chard, kale and mustard going from last fall...and one plant each of last fall's purple sprouting winter broccoli, which is just now producing a harvest, Romanesco broccoli and brussels sprouts. Those three were leftovers I stuck in a molasses feed tub and they have done really well there. Most of my cool-season stuff is in the ground, so now I am waiting (rather impatiently) for the warm-season to arrive so I can do more planting. Dawn