Bald Head Mustard is an unusual root crop from northern China and Japan that's ready to become your next winter staple. The smooth, shiny roots earn their name from their gleaming, bald-like appearance and deliver a mild spicy mustard flavor that's both refreshing and crunchy. Growing to just 3-4 inches tall and maturing in 70-90 days, this heirloom Brassica thrives in hardiness zones 3-9 and handles cool-season growing beautifully. Whether pickled, stir-fried, or eaten fresh, it's packed with vitamins and nutrients to carry you through the long winter months.
Partial Shade
Moderate
3-9
4in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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The roots are polished and gleaming, smooth as river stones, which is exactly where the name comes from. What you're really getting is a juicy, crunchy vegetable with a distinctive mild spicy mustard bite that transforms completely depending on how you cook it. This is a winter crop that's been feeding families in Asia for generations, and it's primed to surprise North American gardeners looking for something beyond the usual root vegetables. At just 70-90 days to maturity and only 3-4 inches tall at harvest, it fits neatly into fall and early winter gardens even in cold climates.
Bald Head Mustard shines when pickled, where its crisp texture and mild spicy flavor develop complexity through fermentation. It's equally at home in stir-fries, where the heat and crunch provide textural contrast to softer vegetables and proteins. Raw, the roots deliver a refreshing, peppery bite that enlivens winter salads. Its juicy interior makes it suitable for slaws and brined preparations, where its mustard character becomes both more pronounced and more balanced.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Sow seeds directly in the garden during late summer or early fall, timing the planting so the crop matures as temperatures cool. This is a cool-season crop that performs best when germinating and growing in steadily decreasing temperatures.
Harvest Bald Head Mustard when roots reach 3-4 inches, typically 70-90 days after sowing. The smooth, shiny surface is your visual cue for maturity; the root should feel firm to gentle pressure. Dig carefully to avoid damaging the delicate skin that gives the variety its distinctive appearance. Harvest before severe freezes in colder zones, though these roots are cold-hardy and can tolerate considerable frost once established.
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“Bald Head Mustard originates from northern China and parts of Japan, where it has served as a winter staple crop for generations. The variety represents a distinctive Asian approach to cool-season vegetables, developed over centuries to flourish when other crops fail. It's part of the diverse Brassica juncea family, which Asian growers have shaped into countless regional forms adapted to specific climates and culinary traditions. As this heirloom reaches North American gardeners through seed companies like Baker Creek, it carries with it the knowledge of market farmers and homesteaders across Asia who have relied on its reliable winter production.”