VegetableArugula
Wasabi Arugula
Spicy Arugula
Wasabi Arugula (Diplotaxis erucoides) brings the unmistakable heat and mouth-watering tingle of true wasabi straight to your salad bowl. This fast-maturing heirloom leafy green reaches harvest in just 35 days, growing into a compact 4-5 inch plant that thrives in zones 5-11. Originally gaining popularity in Japan, it's rapidly become a star of the American culinary scene, prized for its distinctive peppery bite that elevates salads, sandwiches, and creative dishes alike.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
5-11
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam
Preferred Temp55-75°F
Growth Stats
5 in
Height
—
Width
10 in
Spacing
35–35
Days to Harvest
PeriodAnnual
TypeForb/herb
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
5-11
Size
5in H x ?in W
Growth
Annual
Care
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
The defining feature of Wasabi Arugula is its authentic wasabi heat; if you've been chasing that particular tingle and peppery snap, this is the real thing. At just 4-5 inches tall and ready in 35 days, it's one of the fastest greens to reach your table. The plant is also surprisingly generous with edible white flower stalks that add delicate flavor, and with successive sowings and careful leaf-picking, you can harvest continuously throughout the season rather than pulling the whole plant at once.
Common Uses
Fresh leaves shine raw in salads and on sandwiches, where the distinctive wasabi heat cuts through rich ingredients and adds complexity. The tender young seedlings, harvested at just a few inches tall during thinning, offer a milder introduction to the flavor and work beautifully as a garnish or mixed green. The delicate white flower stalks are entirely edible and can be snipped from the plant to prevent bolting; they add a subtle peppery note and visual interest to composed salads or as a sophisticated garnish.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
Late Spring
First Harvest
4 Weeks After Planting
Last Harvest
Late Summer
Variety Details
Main Season
Summer/fall HarvestCare Instructions
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds in full sun once soil is workable in spring, or in late summer for a fall crop. Sow seeds where you want them to grow, as arugula doesn't transplant well. Plant successively every 2-3 weeks for continuous harvests throughout the season.
Harvesting
Begin harvesting as early as the thinning stage when seedlings are several inches tall; these young leaves have milder heat but genuine wasabi character. For mature plants, pick individual leaves when they reach 3-4 inches long, or snip the entire leafy rosette about 1 inch above the crown to encourage regrowth for extended harvests across the season. Harvest the delicate white flower stalks regularly to prevent seed head formation and extend the leafy phase of the plant. At around day 35, check plants daily, as the window between peak leaf quality and bolting can be narrow.
Growing Calendar
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Eruca vesicaria (L.) Cav. ssp. sativa (Mill.) Thell.
Family
Brassicaceae
Genus
Eruca
Duration
Annual
Native Status
L48 (I)CAN (I)
History & Origin
“Wasabi Arugula represents a fascinating convergence of plant breeding and culinary tradition. While arugula itself has Mediterranean roots, this particular variety (Diplotaxis erucoides) has gained significant traction in Japan, where it's become increasingly popular as home gardeners and chefs seek authentic wasabi flavor beyond the horseradish-based imitations common in Western cooking. The variety's emergence in contemporary seed catalogs as a 'new star' reflects both the global appetite for genuine Japanese flavors and the heirloom seed movement's commitment to preserving distinctive, regionally-developed cultivars.”