Description
Brassica juncea | Chinese Mustard ‘Ruby Streaks’
Chinese Mustard, also known as Brown Mustard, Indian Mustard, Leaf Mustard, Oriental Mustard, and Vegetable Mustard is a variety of mustard with intricately lobed, lacy, dark green and deep red succulent leaves with crisp, crunchy stems.
Plants grow fast and are fairly cold hardy in early spring or fall, but once the weather arms up, the plants will bolt (go to flower), and typically reach 3 ft tall, with edible yellow blooms. When grown in warmer conditions or under row cover, plants may appear more dark green than purple, so grow uncovered in cooler conditions to achieve maximum color, which is typically darkest when sown summer through fall. Keep well watered during hot weather. Can grow in part shade. Tolerant of light frosts.
Sow every 3 weeks for a continuous harvest, or let plants reseed themselves.
Edible at all stages, the green leaves with purple veining add loft, spice and elegance to any salad plate or stir-fry. The baby leaves are mildly spicy, while full sized plants provide quite a kick that can be mellowed and are delicious with braising. ‘Ruby Streaks’ mustard greens elicit a savory, spicy and nuanced peppery flavor. The yellow flowers can be eaten raw as a spicy and edible garnish, while the flowering stems cook up beautifully like broccoli in a stir fry.
Type: Annual
Sun exposure: Full sun to light shade
Mature height: 3 ft
Mature width: 18 inches
Mature zones: 3-7