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Brassica rapa nipposinica

Common name:	Mizuna	Family:	Cruciferae
Author:	(L.H.Bailey.)Hanelt.	Botanical references:
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	A cultivar of garden origin.
Habitat:	Not known in the wild.
Edibility Rating (1-5):	3	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	B. japonica[G,H] B. nipposinica[G] B. rapa japonica[H] B. rapa subsp. nipposinica[G] B. rapa var. japonica[H] B. rapa var. nipposinica[H]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Kyomizuna [H], Kyona [H], Mizuna [H], Mizuna Greens [H], Mizuna Mustard [H], Pot Herb Mustard [H], Shui Cai [H],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	rapa = turnip (like);
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Capparales. Renamed to Brassicaceae -- Mustard family

Physical Characteristics

Biennial growing to 0.25m by 0.45m at a fast rate. It is hardy to zone 7 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from May to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile. We rate it 3/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Cultivated Beds.

Edible Uses

Flowers; Leaves.

Leaves - raw or cooked[206]. They can be eaten at any stage from seedling to mature plant though older leaves become fibrous[206]. A very good salad, the leaves can also be cooked as greens or in soups etc[206]. The leaf stalks can also be eaten but require more cooking than the leaves[206]. It can be used as a cut and come again crop. regrowing rapidly after being harvested[206].
Immature flowering stems - cooked like broccoli[206]. A sweet flavour[206].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Succeeds in full sun in most well-drained fertile soils[200]. Summer crops tolerate light shade[206]. Prefers a pH of 5.5 to 7[200]. Prefers a cool moist reasonably fertile soil[52]. The plant is shallow rooted and intolerant of drought, it needs to be grown in a moist fertile soil for the best quality leaves[206].
Fairly hardy, tolerating quite hard frosts, though plants are likely to die if this is coupled with wet weather[206]. Plants are also tolerant of summer heat[206].
Mizuna is widely cultivated in China for its edible leaves, there are many named varieties[206]. This plant is one of the most resistant to bolting of the oriental brassicas and can be sown in spring. It can also be planted in the summer for an autumn and winter crop[264]. Mizuna can also be transplanted successfully[206]. A fast growing plant, it can be cropped on a cut and come again basis just 2 - 3 weeks after sowing and has been known to continue cropping for 10 months before going to seed[206].
A very ornamental plant[206].

Propagation

Seed - sow in situ or in a seed bed from April to September. Thinnings can be transplanted[206]. Some varieties can also be sown in a cold greenhouse in late autumn or early spring to provide leaves overwinter and in late spring.

Cultivars

'': No entries have been made for this species as yet.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

References for Brassica rapa subsp. nipposinica (a possible synonym).

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.

References for Brassica rapa var. nipposinica (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[52] Larkcom. J. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn 1980
A good and comprehensive guide to temperate salad plants, with full organic details of cultivation.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[206] Larkcom J. Oriental Vegetables John Murray 1991 ISBN 0-7195-4781-4
Well written and very informative.

[264] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Vegetables Macmillan Reference Books, London. 1995 ISBN 0 333 62640 0
Excellent and easily read book with good information and an excellent collection of photos of vegetables from around the world, including many unusual species.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Brassica+rapa+nipposinica
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