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Yanagawa Takana Mustard is a semi-heading Japanese mustard green that matures in just 40 to 49 days, making it one of the quickest crops you can grow. With large, loosely bunched green leaves and medium-ribbed stems, this heirloom variety from Brassica juncea offers a notably milder mustard flavor, spicy enough to be interesting, but without the harsh bite of many other mustard cultivars. It thrives across zones 2 through 10 in full sun and grows to a compact 18 to 24 inches tall, fitting neatly into spring and fall gardens where cool weather lets it shine without bolting.
Full Sun
Moderate
2-10
24in H x ?in W
—
High
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This is a mustard green that actually tastes approachable. The semi-heading growth habit creates a naturally loose bunching form with generously-sized leaves that are far easier to harvest than frilly varieties. Cool-season growers will appreciate its speed and dependability; it powers from seed to dinner plate in under seven weeks, and since it's a heirloom non-GMO variety, you can save seed from year to year. The mild spice makes it genuinely enjoyable raw or cooked, unlike harsher mustard varieties that demand careful preparation.
Yanagawa Takana Mustard is harvested for its tender, edible leaves and stems, which can be enjoyed raw in salads, lightly sautéed as a cooked green, or added to stir-fries where their mild spice complements other ingredients without overpowering them. The semi-heading structure makes it easy to harvest outer leaves continuously or cut the entire plant at the base.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Direct sow seeds in early spring as soon as soil can be worked, or in late summer for a fall crop. Sow seeds directly into the garden where plants will mature.
Yanagawa Takana reaches full maturity in 40 to 49 days from sowing. You can begin harvesting outer leaves once the plant is established, or wait and cut the entire plant at the base just above soil level. The loose bunching form makes selective leaf harvesting easy without damaging the central growing point. Harvest in the morning for the crispest, most tender leaves.
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