Common Arugula is a fast-growing, peppery green that reaches harvest in just 50 days from seed, making it one of the quickest salad crops you can plant. This heirloom variety of Eruca sativa delivers intense, mustard-like heat alongside a satisfying crunch, thriving in cool spring and fall weather when most greens struggle. At 3-4 inches tall and requiring minimal space at 10 inches apart, it fits easily into containers, raised beds, or garden corners. The real magic lies in its cold tolerance and germination reliability: plant densely in early spring, trim regularly for tender leaves, and you'll have spicy greens for salads, pizzas, and sandwiches before summer heat arrives.
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This heirloom arugula germinates reliably and grows with remarkable vigor in cool weather, delivering that distinctive peppery bite that transforms ordinary salads into something with real character. At just 50 days to harvest, you're trimming tender leaves weeks before slower crops even establish themselves. Plant it densely and succession-plant every few weeks throughout spring and fall, and you'll have a continuous supply of crunch with genuine heat.
Arugula shines raw in salads where its peppery sharpness cuts through rich dressings, and it brings unexpected warmth to simple green mixes. Scattered fresh over hot pizza just before serving, the leaves will slightly and soften while keeping their spice. It's equally at home on sandwiches where it adds a peppery edge and crunch that complements creamy spreads and aged cheeses.
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Direct sow Common Arugula in early spring as soon as soil can be worked, or in late summer for a fall crop. Sow seeds thickly for a dense planting of tender greens, which you'll thin or harvest regularly as plants develop.
Begin harvesting outer leaves when the plant reaches 3-4 inches tall, approximately 50 days from sowing, or cut the entire plant back for repeat harvests. For the most tender, mildest greens, harvest in the morning and pick before plants flower. Regular trimming throughout the growing season yields the longest harvest window and the crunchiest leaves.
Trim arugula regularly by removing outer leaves or cutting the entire plant back to 1-2 inches above soil level. Frequent trimming encourages branching and produces a longer supply of tender, flavorful leaves rather than allowing the plant to bolt into flowering.
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