Warm, Temperate, Cool
Full sun,
2'
6"
Medicinal, Culinary
Annual
Average
Seed
Spring
1'
Summer
Yellow
COMMENTS:
This annual has bright green oval leaves, clusters of four petaled, yellow summer flowers, turning into small pods of brown seeds.
Uses:
Black Mustard has the strongest flavor and was used to make most mustards, but as it is difficult to harvest mechanically. It has been replaced by Brown Mustard. Mustard becomes pungent when the crushed seeds are mixed with COLD water to activate the appropriate enzymes. Boiling water, applied to dormant enzymes kills them, vinegar inhibits them, and both create a weak aroma but bitter taste. Mustard seed stimulates circulation, which invited their use in love potions. They treat bronchitis, give a warming footbath, and, in a mustard poultice, reduce inflammation treating chilblains and rheumatism. The oil is a lubricant. In China Brown Mustard seed is used to treat colds, stomach problems, abscesses, rheumatism, lumbago, and ulcers. Leaves treat bladder inflammation. Mustard makes a good companion plant in your garden as it attracts these beneficial parasites that feed on cabbageworms. It also repels damage causing aphids from brussel sprouts and collards.
Please see Herb Bug Companions for more plants to attract and repel bugs.
Commercial Products available from other Merchants
Sassy Salad Mesclun - $ 3.99 The Sassy Salad Mesclun is a custom mix of greens that will fill your salad bowl with many flavors. Leaf lettuces, romaine lettuce, arugula, endive, spinach, mustard and more, enough variety to please even the choosiest gourmet. For continuous harvest, cut rather than pull the greens and sow successive plantings every 3 weeks. Mesclun is the French name for a mixture of salad greens. Be sure to keep the weeds pulled so they do not compete with the plants for water and sun.
Mizuna Mustard - $ 1.89 The Mustard Mizuna Siu Cai, Xiu Cai, 'Brassica rapa', is the perfect mustard green with its mild, sweet, earthy, mustardy flavor that tolerates cold and heat. It is so attractive that it is used as an ornamental. Commonly used as a graceful bedding plant that "floats" in the flower beds and as a sweet, mild mustard green that is ready to harvest in 3 weeks. Mizuna looks are deceptive; it is a beautiful graceful prolific branching plant that will also germinate under cold and wet spring conditions.
Red Giant Mustard - $ 1.59 The Mustard Gai Choy Red Giant, 'Brassica juncea (integlifolia group)', is one of the most delicious greens available. It has quite a different flavor than American mustards. Red Giant Mustard is particularly overlooked by American gardeners for spinach and that is a shame. The unique, spicy flavor is excellent in mixed salads or straight as its own salad, wilted like spinach or chard and wrapped in prosciutto, steamed and tossed with sesame oil and soy sauce, or stir fried with ginger, bok, choy, snow peas or chicken.
Southern Giant Curled Mustard - $ 1.39 The Mustard Greens Southern Giant Curled, 'Brassica juncea', has a zippy, spicy flavored foliage. The Southern Green Curled Mustard has a very nutritious leafy green that should be in everyone's garden. Southern Giant is known for its desirable flavor when cooked in stir fry and soups or when young leaves are used in fresh salads. Mustard can tolerate light frost and actually tastes slightly sweeter after a light frost. If allowed to flower, the yellow flowers are also edible. The Southern Giant can also be grown in a container.
