Mizuna

Mizuna
Mizuna
SpeciesBrassica rapa var. nipposinica
CultivarMizuna

Mizuna (ミズナ(水菜), "water greens"), kyouna (京菜),[1] Japanese mustard greens,[2] or spider mustard[2] is a cultivar of Brassica rapa var. niposinica.

Description and use

Possessing dark green, serrated leaves, mizuna is described as having, when raw, a "piquant, mild peppery flavor...slightly spicy, but less so than arugula."[3] It is also used in stir-fries, soups, and nabemono (Japanese hot pot).

At least a couple novel varieties of mizuna have significant anthocyanin content, causing them to instead have pinkish to dark purple stems and/or leaves.[4][5]

Varieties

In addition to the term mizuna (and its alternates) being applied to at least two different species of Brassica, horticulturalists have defined and named a number of varieties. For example, a resource provided by Cornell University and the United States Department of Agriculture lists sixteen varieties including "Early Mizuna", "Kyona Mizuna", "Komatsuna Mizuna", "Vitamin Green Mizuna", "Kyoto Mizuna", "Happy Rich Mizuna", "Summer Fest Mizuna", "Tokyo Early Mizuna", "Mibuna Mizuna", "Red Komatsuna Mizuna", "Waido Mizuna" and "Purple Mizuna".[6] "Benigoromo" and "Pinky Pop" varieties with anthocyanins also exist.[4][5]

Cultivation

Mizuna has been cultivated in Japan since ancient times. Mizuna was successfully grown in the International Space Station in 2019.[7] It grows in hardiness zones 4 to 9, prefers full sun or partial shade, well-drained soil and a pH of 6.5–7.0.[8] It can be grown as a microgreen, sowing every 3 cm, or for its leaves, with 20 cm spacing.[8] It is produced by more than 30 countries around the world, but China, Japan, South Korea, India and the United States together account for 70% of global production.[9]

References

  1. ^ "Brassica rapa L. subsp. nipposinica (L. H. Bailey) Hanelt". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Plant Germplasm System. 24 February 2025. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
  2. ^ a b Bittman, Mark (2012). Leafy Greens: An A-to-Z Guide to 30 Types of Greens Plus More than 120 Delicious Recipes. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 66. ISBN 9780544187122.
  3. ^ Carignan, Christa (3 January 2007). "Discovering Mizuna". Calendula & Concrete. Retrieved 2024-12-31.
  4. ^ a b "Mizuna Seeds, Benigoromo". RareSeeds.com. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
  5. ^ a b "Mizuna Seeds, Pinky Pop". RareSeeds.com. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
  6. ^ "Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners - Search Results". vegvariety.cce.cornell.edu. Archived from the original on 2010-06-28. Retrieved 2024-12-31.
  7. ^ Gohd, Chelsea (22 November 2019). "Astronauts Enjoy Space Veggies and Look to the Future of Cosmic Salads". Space.com.
  8. ^ a b Iannotti, Marie (8 June 2022). "Mizuna Plant Profile". The Spruce. Archived from the original on 2023-01-28.
  9. ^ "Global mizuna production". husfarm.com.
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