About
Brassica juncea f. juncea is an annual plant that reaches a height of approximately 30 cm. It is typically cultivated as a 'cut-and-come-again' crop, allowing for multiple harvests of its edible leaves. These leaves can be prepared similarly to spinach, either steamed or added to stir-fries. The young, serrated green leaves feature white veins and offer a sweet, spicy taste that intensifies as they mature. This variety is cold-tolerant, making it suitable for direct sowing in the garden from late February to May or for starting indoors in the autumn for later transplanting.
About the genus
Brassicas encompass annual, biennial, and perennial varieties, typically characterized by their upright growth habit, alternate leaves that are often glaucous, and prominent taproots. The flowers are arranged in clusters and take on a cross shape, usually appearing in yellow or white. This genus includes several species cultivated for food production, including cabbages, turnips, mustards, and oilseed rape, alongside those that are valued for ornamental purposes.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H5
Plant details
- Plant type
- Annual Biennial
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Height
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 1 year
- Suggested uses
- Patio and container plants
- Toxicity
- Skin irritant/allergen. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Sow seed outdoors in deep, fertile but firm, soil that isn't too acidic. If space is limited, start the seeds in modules or seedtrays and plant outside when big enough to handle easily (about 5 or 6 leaves). Watering through the summer months is very important. For more advice see vegetable cultivation
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to flea beetle which can prevent seedlings from thriving and attacked by caterpillars when eggs laid by butterflies, hatch and feed. It is very popular food for pigeons which only netting can prevent. It is also eaten by snails, although once plants are established, this damage isn't usually severe. The cabbage root fly can cause failure to thrive and a heavy infestation of mealy cabbage aphid can spoil the harvest
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to brassica downy mildew and brassica white blister. In areas where brassicas have been grown before, club root can build up in the soil