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.
| Mizuna | |
|---|---|
 Mizuna | |
| Species | Brassica rapa var. nipposinica |
| Cultivar | Mizuna |
Description and use edit
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 edit
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 edit
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 edit
- ^ 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 edit
- PROTAbase on Brassica rapa
- "Brassica rapa". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
