Pfaf Plant Search

Brassica juncea - (L.)Czern.

Common Name

Brown Mustard

Family

Cruciferae

Synonyms

B. japonica. B. juncea japonica. Sinapis juncea.

Known Hazards

None known

Habitats

Cornfields in Britain[17].

Range

N. Europe to C. Asia. Rarely naturalized in Britain[17].

Edibility Rating

Medicinal Rating

Care

Summary

Physical Characteristics

ANNUAL growing to 0.8 m (2ft 7in) by 0.3 m (1ft).
It is hardy to zone 7 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from Jun to August, and the seeds ripen from Aug to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees.The plant is self-fertile.

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. and can grow in very acid and very alkaline soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade.It requires moist soil.


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Koeh-168.jpg

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Dalgial

Habitats
Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers; Leaves; Root; Seed.

Leaves - raw or cooked[22, 33, 46, 52, 61]. A peppery flavour that can range from mild to hot, this is one of the most highly prized cooked vegetables in the Orient[206]. The leaves can also be eaten raw, when finely shredded they make a very acceptable addition to mixed salads[206]. The protein extracted from the leaves mixes well with banana pulp and is well adapted as a pie filling[183]. Flowers and young flowering stems - raw or cooked[52]. Sweet and succulent[133]. An edible semi-drying oil is obtained from the seed[1, 2, 17, 57, 183]. The seed contains 25 - 30% oil[74]. The seed is used as a mustard flavouring[171]. It is the source of 'brown mustard'[183], a prepared mustard that is milder than that produced from other species[238]. Pungency of mustard develops when cold water is added to the ground-up seed - an enzyme (myrosin) acts on a glycoside (sinigrin) to produce a sulphur compound. The reaction takes 10 - 15 minutes. Mixing with hot water or vinegar, or adding salt, inhibits the enzyme and produces a mild bitter mustard[238]. Black mustard comes from B. nigra and white mustard from Sinapis alba. The seed is also used whole in curries and pickles[238]. They are often heated in oil to destroy their pungency and give them a nutty flavour[238]. The root of some forms of this species is edible[183]. Sprouted seeds can be added to salads.

Composition

Figures in grams (g) or miligrams (mg) per 100g of food.

Seed (Fresh weight)

0 Calories per 100g
Water : 0%
Protein: 0g; Fat: 30g; Carbohydrate: 0g; Fibre: 0g; Ash: 0g;
Minerals - Calcium: 0mg; Phosphorus: 0mg; Iron: 0mg; Magnesium: 0mg; Sodium: 0mg; Potassium: 0mg; Zinc: 0mg;
Vitamins - A: 0mg; Thiamine (B1): 0mg; Riboflavin (B2): 0mg; Niacin: 0mg; B6: 0mg; C: 0mg;
Reference: [ ]
Notes:

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Anodyne; Antibiotic; Aperient; Diuretic; Emetic; Galactogogue; Rubefacient; Stimulant.

Although not usually used medicinally, the seed is a warming stimulant herb with antibiotic effects[238]. Reported to be anodyne, aperitif, diuretic, emetic, rubefacient, and stimulant, Brown Mustard is a folk remedy for arthritis, foot ache, lumbago, and rheumatism[269]. The seed is used in the treatment of tumours in China[269]. In Korea, the seeds are used in the treatment of abscesses, colds, lumbago, rheumatism, and stomach disorders[269]. The root is used as a galactagogue in Africa[269]. Ingestion may impart a body odour repellent to mosquitoes[269]. Mustard oil is used in the treatment of skin eruptions and ulcers[269]. Believed to be aperient and tonic, the volatile oil is used as a counterirritant and stimulant[269]. In Java the plant is used as an antisyphilitic emmenagogue[269]. Leaves applied to the forehead are said to relieve headache[269]. The Chinese eat the leaves in soups for bladder, inflammation or haemorrhage[269].

Other Uses
Oil; Green manure; Repellent. There is some evidence that if this plant is grown as a green manure it is effective in reducing soil-borne root rots in pea crops[206]. This is attributed to chemicals that are given off as the plants decay[206].

Cultivation details

Succeeds in full sun in most well-drained moisture-retentive fertile soils[16, 200, 206]. Prefers a heavy soil and some shade[16]. Dislikes very hot weather[33]. Plants tolerate high rainfall and, although fairly deep rooted, are not very drought resistant[206]. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.3 to 8.3. Brown mustards is widely cultivated for its edible seed which is used to make the condiment 'brown mustard' and is also sprouted as the mustard of mustard and cress[50, 200]. It has only 70% of the pungency of black mustard (B. nigra) but can be harvested mechanically so is more viable commercially[238]. This species has also been cultivated in the Orient for many hundreds of years and a wide diversity of forms has been developed with edible leaves, stems, roots and seeds. These forms have been classified by the botanists as follows and separate entries have been made for each of them. B. juncea crispifolia. The curled or cutleaf mustards, this group has attractively curled edible leaves. B. juncea foliosa. The leaf mustards have quite large smooth-edged edible leaves. B. juncea japonica. Rather similar to B. juncea crispifolia and combined with that group by some botanists. B. juncea multiceps. The multishoot mustard group. B. juncea napiformis. A form with a swollen edible root. B. juncea rugosa. Large somewhat cabbage-like edible leaves. B. juncea strumata. A form with large edible leaf stalks. B. juncea tumida. A form with swollen edible stems. Plants take from 2 - 5 months from sowing to maturity, depending on the season and the cultivar[206]. They prefer a fairly high stable temperature and are well adapted to short day length[200]. Many are best grown in warmer climates than Britain but there are several cultivars that grow well in this country[206]. Plants have a rooting depth of between 90 - 120 cm[269]. A good bee plant[74].

Propagation
Seed - sow in situ from early spring to early autumn in order to obtain a succession of edible leaves. Most varieties of Oriental vegetables belonging to this species are best sown from late June to early September otherwise they may bolt[206]. There are about 5,660 - 6,000 per 0.01 kg (1/3 oz)[269].

Expert comment

Author
(L.)Czern.

Botanical References
200

Links / References

[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956

Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2]Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.

Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[16]Simons. New Vegetable Growers Handbook.

A good guide to growing vegetables in temperate areas, not entirely organic.

[17]Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles.

A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

[22]Sholto-Douglas. J. Alternative Foods.

Not very comprehensive, it seems more or less like a copy of earlier writings with little added.

[33]Organ. J. Rare Vegetables for Garden and Table.

Unusual vegetables that can be grown outdoors in Britain. A good guide.

[46]Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants.

An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[50]? Flora Europaea

An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.

[52]Larkcom. J. Salads all the Year Round.

A good and comprehensive guide to temperate salad plants, with full organic details of cultivation.

[57]Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.

Fairly readable but not very comprehensive. Deals with plants from around the world.

[61]Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.

Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[74]Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR.

An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers.

[133]Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 1.

Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation.

[171]Hill. A. F. Economic Botany.

Not very comprehensive, but it is quite readable and goes into some a bit of detail about the plants it does cover.

[183]Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.

Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.

Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[206]Larkcom J. Oriental Vegetables

Well written and very informative.

[238]Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.

A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

[269]Duke. J. Handbook of Energy Crops

Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of plants.

Readers comment

Elizabeth H.
James Allen	Thu Nov 12 2009

This is a story that first appeared in the Tri-City Herald by Drew Foster. Chinese hot mustard in this case is Brassica Juncea. November 9, 2009 Potato farmers fight pests with hot mustard The Spokesman-Review Tags: agriculture potatoes Chinese hot mustard, like horseradish and habanero, is best consumed in small portions. That’s part of the thinking behind efforts by many Mid-Columbia farmers, particularly potato growers, to raise fields of mustard between crops. The mustard is grown from August to late fall and can reach 5 to 7 feet tall before it’s chopped and tilled. The chopped and buried mustard plants release chemicals that kill root-knot, root-lesion and stubby-root nematodes – all enemies of Mid-Columbia potatoes. “The chemicals in the mustard plant are the same chemicals as the mustard seed,” said Andy McGuire, agriculture systems educator for the Washington State University Extension Office in Ephrata. Mustard seed, when cracked and ground, is used to make the hot mustard offered at many Chinese restaurants. In a sense, the pesky nematodes are bathed in the sinus-searing condiment. “It gets into the water they’re living in and kills them,” McGuire said. Mustard also fights soil-borne fungal pathogens such as verticillium wilt. Green manure such as mustard also can increase water filtration in the soil and reduce wind erosion – both reasons farmer Dale Gies began using mustard as a cover crop about 15 years ago. He soon found it also killed nematodes and fungal pathogens. “This one really fit the bill,” he said. Rick Boydston, a weed scientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service in Prosser, has worked with mustard as a pest and weed controller for more than a decade. While tilled mustard kills nematodes and fungal pathogens, Boydston said the growing plant suppresses weed growth as well. Tilled mustard, acting as a bio-fumigant, also has the potential to inhibit weed germination. However, he said, “If it’s suppressing weeds, it can suppress your crop.” Boydston said the key to reducing weed germination but not affecting the potato crop is timing it so the chemicals released by the mustard diminish by the time potato planting begins in the spring. The large size of the potato tubers also helps protect them from the mustard chemicals, he said. Get more news and information at Spokesman.com

Rate This Plant
Please rate this plants for how successful you have found it to be. You will need to be logged in to do this. Our intention is not to create a list of 'popular' plants but rather to highlight plants that may be rare and unusual and that have been found to be useful by website users. This hopefully will encourage more people to use plants that they possibly would not have considered before.

Add a comment/link

If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at admin@pfaf.org. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.

* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.

Subject : Brassica juncea

Links	To add a link to another website with useful info add the details here
Name of Site
URL of Site
Details

Discussion Monitor
To have posts to this page mailed to you enter your email address here: (Your email address will not appear on the webpage or be passed on to third parties).

Your Address :