Brassica rapa perviridis
Mustard Spinach
a biennial member of the Brassica genus in the family Brassicaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Brassicaceae
- Genus
- Brassica
- Life cycle
- biennial
- Growth rate
- vigorous
- Height
- 0.5 m
- Spread
- 0.5 m
- Fertility
- self fertile
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Bees, Self
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Leaves - raw or cooked[2]. The flavour is a happy compromise between the blandness of cabbages and the sharpness of the oriental mustards[2]. The plant can be eaten at any stage from seedling to mature plant[2]. Flowering stems - raw or cooked[2]. Sweet and succulent, but becoming hotter as the plant matures[2].
- Plant part
- Flowers
- Plant part
- Leaves
Environment
- Range
- A cultivar of garden origin.
- Habitat
- Not known in the wild, it probably arose from B. rapa chinensis, Pak choi[2].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 7+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerances
- drought
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- tolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - sow in situ April to September[2]. Some varieties can also be sown in a cold greenhouse in late autumn, winter or early spring to provide leaves overwinter and in late spring.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Succeeds in full sun in a moisture-retentive well-drained fertile preferably alkaline soil[1][2]. Prefers a cool moist reasonably fertile soil[3]. The plant is somewhat deeper rooted than many of the oriental brassicas and is more tolerant of drought, though it grows best if it is not short of water[2]. Mustard spinach is widely cultivated in the Orient for its edible leaves, there are many named varieties[2]. It takes 55 - 80 days for plants to reach maturity from sowing[2]. This is a very hardy plant, although knocked back, it has withstood temperatures down to about -14°c and can be cropped for most of the year[2]. It is much less likely to bolt from a spring sowing and is fairly resistant to summer heat[2].
References
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Larkcom J. Oriental Vegetables John Murray 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-4781-4
Larkcom. J. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn 1980-00-00