They are talking about when you buy it in a store or get it at a restaurant, not it's botanical qualities. The container you buy it in or the menu you see it on will call it wasabi, but it will actually be colored horseradish. They do this because the taste is pretty similar and real wasabi is harder to come by as its harder to grow in great quantities.
LaughingBeer t1_j1hz1mu wrote
Reply to comment by [deleted] in What specifically about ginger/menthol/wasabi causes one's sinuses to open? by Bartendiesthrowaway
They are talking about when you buy it in a store or get it at a restaurant, not it's botanical qualities. The container you buy it in or the menu you see it on will call it wasabi, but it will actually be colored horseradish. They do this because the taste is pretty similar and real wasabi is harder to come by as its harder to grow in great quantities.