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Wasabi Mustard is a vibrant green mustard with distinctly wavy leaves and a peppery bite that captures the essence of Japanese wasabi in a form that's far easier to grow than true wasabi. This Brassica juncea cultivar reaches 18-24 inches tall and goes from seed to harvest in just 40-49 days, thriving across hardiness zones 2-10. Despite its fiery punch, it's cold-hardy and surprisingly vigorous, making it a reliable choice for spring and fall gardens that want genuine heat without the fuss.
Full Sun
Moderate
2-10
24in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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Large, ruffly-edged green leaves deliver an unmistakable wasabi-like heat that punches well above what most mustards offer. You can harvest it at full size in 40-49 days, but the real magic happens when you snip it at the microgreen stage (7-14 days) for a concentrated zing on sandwiches or salads. This isn't true Japanese wasabi, but for a gardener who wants genuine spice without fighting the notoriously finicky wasabi plant, it's a game-changer.
Wasabi Mustard shines fresh and raw, where its peppery bite is most pronounced. Toss the young microgreens onto sandwiches or scatter them across salads for a concentrated jolt of heat. At full maturity, the larger leaves work beautifully in spring rolls, stir-fries, and traditional mustard green dishes, where the cooking mellows the wasabi burn slightly while keeping the flavor vibrant.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before your last spring frost at temperatures between 50-75°F. Sow seeds shallowly in moist seed-starting mix and keep the soil consistently moist until germination. Transplant seedlings outdoors after hardening off for 7-10 days once soil temperatures reach at least 50°F.
Transplant hardened-off seedlings outdoors in spring as soon as soil can be worked, or in late summer for a fall crop. Space plants 6 inches apart in full sun. Wasabi Mustard's cold hardiness means you can plant earlier and harvest later than many greens.
Direct sow seeds outdoors in spring after the last frost, or in late summer for fall harvest. Sow seeds shallowly and keep the soil consistently moist until germination. Thin seedlings to 6-inch spacing once they're established.
For maximum wasabi punch, harvest microgreens at 7-14 days by snipping just above soil level. At full maturity (40-49 days), pick individual outer leaves once they reach full size, or cut the entire plant at soil level for a single flush harvest. The larger leaves with pronounced wavy edges indicate peak flavor development. Young, tender leaves are milder; let them grow slightly larger if you want more intense heat.
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