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field mustard

Scientific Name: Brassica rapa var. rapa

Family: Brassicaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Forb/herb

Duration: Annual, Biennial

Other Names:

       

Field Mustard (Brassica rapa)

Field mustard, scientifically known as Brassica rapa, is a versatile plant with a variety of uses and a wide distribution. It's a member of the Brassicaceae family, also known as the cabbage or mustard family, and has several cultivated subspecies and uses.

Considerations for Pets

  • This plant belongs to the mustard family (Brassicaceae), and some members of this family contain glucosinolates.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Brassica rapa
  • Common Names: Field mustard, Rape mustard, Turnip mustard, Wild mustard, Wild kale, Bird rape, Navew, Cale, Annual Turnip Rape, Birdsrape mustard, Wild rutabaga, Wild turnip, Turnip rape, Charlock Mustard, Common mustard, Rape, Rape Mustard, Wild Turnip
  • Family: Brassicaceae (also known as Cruciferae)
  • Synonyms: B. campestris rapa, Brassica campestris, Sinapis arvensis
  • Taxonomic Rank: Species
  • Subspecies/Varieties: Several, including ssp. campestris

Distribution and Habitat

  • Field mustard "grows everywhere" and is located throughout California.
  • It is considered a Eurasian plant.

Ecological Role

  • Field mustard is sometimes considered a weed, even a pest in grain fields.

Morphological Characteristics

  • Field mustard is an annual to biennial herbaceous plant, typically growing 8 to 36 inches tall, with highly branched upper portions in larger specimens.
  • It can grow to 1 meter (approximately 3 feet) tall, and brown mustard can reach 6 feet tall.
  • Stems are erect, glabrous or nearly so, and commonly glaucous.
  • The plant produces racemes of bright yellow flowers, each with 4 petals. The flowers are about 1/2 inch in size.

Uses

  • Multiple subspecies are widely cultivated, including the turnip, mizuna, and napa cabbage.
  • The plant is grown as a cover crop in vineyards.
  • Cime di rapa (leaf vegetables) and oilseed are other uses of the plant.
  • The seeds can be used to make mustard.
  • Field Mustard Festival is held in Shinshiro City in early March.

Interactions with Other Organisms

  • Field mustard is noted for being deliberately planted as a cover crop.
  • It shares diseases and insect pests with flax, oilseed rape (canola), sweet clover, soybeans, field peas, lentils, and sunflowers.
  • Mosaic patterns in leaves have been noted in the ChiaYi area.

Further Information

  • Encyclopedia of Life
  • USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center
  • CalPhotos
  • NoritakeChina.com
  • TripAdvisor