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Brassica rapa perviridis

Common name:	Mustard Spinach	Family:	Cruciferae
Author:	L.H.Bailey	Botanical references:
Synonyms:	Brassica perviridis ((L.H.Bailey.)L.H.Bailey.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	A cultivar of garden origin.
Habitat:	Not known in the wild, it probably arose from B. rapa chinensis, Pak choi[206].
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. rapa var. perviridis[G,H,P]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Tender Green [P],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	rapa = turnip (like); viridis = green;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Capparales. Renamed to Brassicaceae -- Mustard family

Physical Characteristics

Biennial growing to 0.5m by 0.5m 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 and can tolerate drought.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Cultivated Beds.

Edible Uses

Flowers; Leaves.

Leaves - raw or cooked[206]. The flavour is a happy compromise between the blandness of cabbages and the sharpness of the oriental mustards[206]. The plant can be eaten at any stage from seedling to mature plant[206].
Flowering stems - raw or cooked[206]. Sweet and succulent, but becoming hotter as the plant matures[206].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Succeeds in full sun in a moisture-retentive well-drained fertile preferably alkaline soil[200, 206]. Prefers a cool moist reasonably fertile soil[52]. 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[206].
Mustard spinach is widely cultivated in the Orient for its edible leaves, there are many named varieties[206]. It takes 55 - 80 days for plants to reach maturity from sowing[206]. 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[206]. It is much less likely to bolt from a spring sowing and is fairly resistant to summer heat[206].

Propagation

Seed - sow in situ April to September[206]. 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.

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

[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Brassica perviridis (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.

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

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic 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.

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+perviridis
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We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.