How to Grow and Care for Mustard

Wild mustard is an annual or winter plant that is considered an invasive weed species in many areas. Leaves of juvenile plants are edible, and even though it may cause stomach upset was a food staple in Ireland during the potato famine in the 18th century.

People make mustard from the seeds of the white mustard (Sinapis alba) plant and picklers add the seeds to pickled vegetables to prevent the growth of mold and bacteria. In California the Napa Valley Mustard Festival is celebrated from winter to spring when the plant's green and gold blossoms appear in vineyards all over the region.

Sinapis alba subsp. alba is a resilient herbaceous plant known for its bright yellow flowers that bloom in clusters, atop sturdy stems reaching up to 60 cm tall. The leaves are broadly oval, with a toothed edge, that form a rosette at the base. This species thrives in fertile, well-drained soils and often features in fields, imparting benefits to surrounding crops by repelling pests and enhancing soil health through its deep taproots.