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Hybrid Mustard (Brassica juncea) is a vibrant Japanese mustard green that combines stunning deep red and purple foliage with a distinctly spicy kick. This F1 hybrid annual thrives in cool seasons across hardiness zones 2-10, reaching 18-24 inches tall and ready to harvest in just 40-49 days. You can pick tender baby leaves in as little as 20-25 days for salads and garnishes, or let them mature for braising and cooking. The lacy, frilly leaf texture and bold color make this as beautiful on the plate as it is flavorful in your mouth.
Full Sun
Moderate
2-10
24in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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The leaves shift from deep red to purple tones, intensifying their color in cooler weather while retaining that rich hue even through summer months. You get genuine speed here: baby leaf harvests in three weeks, full maturity in six, all from seed. The mildly spicy flavor profile makes it work equally well as a gourmet garnish on fine dining plates or chopped raw into salad mixes, giving home gardeners restaurant-quality results from their own garden.
Harvest this mustard at the baby leaf stage (20-25 days) to mix into salad blends, where its spicy notes add complexity to milder greens. At full maturity it works wonderfully braised, sautéed, or chopped into stir-fries where the heat mellows slightly with cooking. The lacy, deep red leaves make it equally valued as a gourmet garnish for plated dishes, adding visual drama and peppery punctuation to soups, grains, and composed salads.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before your last spring frost, sowing them 1/4 inch deep in seed-starting mix kept at 50-75°F. Transplant seedlings outdoors after hardening off for 7-10 days once soil temperatures reach at least 50°F.
Transplant hardened seedlings outdoors when soil is workable in spring, spacing them 6 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart. Plant in early spring for spring harvest or in late summer (8-10 weeks before your first fall frost) for an autumn crop when colors truly intensify.
Direct sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in spring as soon as soil is workable, or in late summer for fall harvest. Sow every 2-3 weeks for continuous baby leaf production throughout the season.
Begin harvesting baby leaves at 20-25 days when plants have developed several true leaves; simply pinch or cut outer leaves from the base. For full-size heads, wait 40-49 days and harvest the entire plant, or continue the cut-and-come-again method by removing outer leaves as needed. The deep red color indicates peak maturity, and the spicy flavor is most pronounced in younger leaves; older mature leaves become milder as they age. Harvest in the morning when leaves are crisp and hydrated for the best texture and flavor.
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“This specialty mustard variety emerged from Japanese breeding programs focused on creating dual-purpose greens suitable for both baby leaf production and mature plant harvesting. The F1 hybrid genetics represent a deliberate cross designed to maximize vigor, color intensity, and the ability to be harvested at multiple stages depending on the gardener's needs. Japanese horticulturists prioritized ornamental appeal alongside culinary function, recognizing that home gardeners and professional chefs both value vegetables that perform as visual elements on the plate.”