| Mizuna | |
|---|---|
 Mizuna | |
| Species | Brassica rapa var. nipposinica |
| Cultivar | Mizuna |
Mizuna (ミズナ（水菜）, "water greens"), kyouna (京菜), [1] Japanese mustard greens, [2] [3] or spider mustard, [2] is a cultivar of Brassica rapa var. niposinica.
Description and use
Possessing dark green, serrated leaves, mizuna is described as having, when raw, a "piquant, mild peppery flavor...slightly spicy, but less so than arugula." [4] It is also used in stir-fries, soups, and nabemono (Japanese hot pots).
Varieties
In addition to the term mizuna (and its alternates) being applied to at least two different species of Brassica, horticulturalists have defined and named a number of varieties. For example, a resource provided by Cornell University and the United States Department of Agriculture lists sixteen varieties including "Early Mizuna", "Kyona Mizuna", " Komatsuna Mizuna", "Vitamin Green Mizuna", "Kyoto Mizuna", "Happy Rich Mizuna", "Summer Fest Mizuna", "Tokyo Early Mizuna", "Mibuna Mizuna", "Red Komatsuna Mizuna", "Waido Mizuna" and "Purple Mizuna". [5] There is also a variety known as pink mizuna. [6]
Cultivation
Mizuna has been cultivated in Japan since ancient times. Mizuna was successfully grown in the International Space Station in 2019. [7] It grows in hardiness zones 4 to 9, prefers full sun or partial shade, well-drained soil and a pH of 6.5-7.0. [8] It can be grown as a microgreen, sowing every 3 cm, or for its leaves with a 20 cm spacing. [9] It is produced by more than 30 countries around the world, but China, Japan, South Korea, India and United States account for 70% of global production. [10]
References
- ^ USDA GRIN Taxonomy, retrieved 18 November 2016
- ^ a b Mark Bittman Leafy Greens: An A-to-Z Guide to 30 Types of Greens Plus More than 120 ..., p. 66, at Google Books
- ^ "MUSTARD GREENS FOR EATING COOKED". realseeds.co.uk. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
- ^ Discovering Mizuna
- ^ Vegetable Varieties for Gardenders
- ^ "Japanese Pink Mizuna". www.rareseeds.com. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
- ^ "Astronauts Enjoy Space Veggies and Look to the Future of Cosmic Salads". Space.com. 21 November 2019.
- ^ "How to Grow Japanese Green Mizuna".
- ^ Iannotti, Marie. "Mizuna Plant Profile". the spruce. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ^ "Global mizuna production". husfarm.com.
External links
- PROTAbase on Brassica rapa
- "Brassica rapa". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
