Facts about Wild Mustard and Traditional Use

Wild Mustard or called Sinapis arvensis, and several other names (the charlock mustard, charlock, field mustard) is an annual plant that comes from the genus Sinapis, and its family is Cruciferae. Apart from wild mustard there are several other plants that fall into this family such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and kale.

Their existence in the same family provides health benefits that are almost the same as their cross-planting. Wild mustard is a perennial plant native to Europe with a temperate climate, including regions of Asia Minor, and North Africa and southwest Asia.

Furthermore, the development of the charlock plant extends to North, South America, Japan, Australia and even South Africa. Now wild mustard is planted in all provinces in Kanda, especially MacKenzie District, and the Northwest Territories.

As we mentioned earlier, this charlock is a plant from the genus Sinapis. The word “sinapis” comes from the Greek “synapi”, which means “mustard”.

Wild mustard has a lot, not only charlock or field mustard, there are many other names attached to this plant. Besides charlock, other names are California-rape, Wild kale, Corn mustard, yellow charlock, kedlock, kilk, kelk.

What is Wild Mustard?

Wild mustard or charlock is a perennial or winter plant with a growth of about 80 cm, but in some places it can grow to a height of 1 meter.

It grows in various places such as grasslands, mountains, roadsides, empty fields, on land where fruit is grown, on roadsides such as railroad tracks, in landfills, beaches, and others. Usually, charlcok grows well in well-nourished areas and is capable of growing well in calcareous soils.

Get to know wild mustard leaves

This plant has leaves measuring 1½ to 7 inches long, while the width of the leaves is ½ to 2 inches. The shape is toothed and irregular, oval, partly hairless and almost similar to the shape of an egg from the oval side.

The basal leaves are oblong, lyrate, oval, lanceolate, pinnatifid to dentate, 4–18 centimeters (1.6–7.1 in) long and 2–5 centimeters (0.79–1.97 in) wide.

The stems are green and some are reddish due to pigmentation. Quite a lot of branches and the hair is also more and more in the middle of the stem down.

Get to know wild mustard flowers and fruit

The flowers are many in clusters, dense and compound, the basic flower stalk is 12 inches long and the flowers appear from top to bottom of the flower stalk. While the small flower stalk is 1/16 – 1/4 inch. The tips of the tiny flowers curled inward.

While the fruit is round, slender pods, about 1.5 to 2 inches long. Wild mustard pods are straight and slightly curved upwards, with 7-12 seeds in one pod. The color of the seeds is usually black or reddish, and some are even greenish brown.

Also see: Broccoli Health Benefits and Nutrition Facts

Traditional uses and benefits of wild mustard

Wild mustard is useful for stimulating appetite
Good for depression and melancholy drugs
The Navajos use Sinapis arvensis in medicine in their ceremonies

The culinary uses of wild mustard

Sinapis arvensis leaves can be cooked or eaten raw
Young leaves are used as a flavoring in salads because of their slightly spicy taste
Old Sinapis arvensis leaves are used for potherb.
In spring muism it is better to use young leaves, because old leaves are very bitter
Flowering stems can be cooked and consumed when ripe
It tastes like radish, cabbage, so it can be used as a substitute
The stems should be lightly steamed to cook perfectly
Wild mustard flowers are useful for garnishing or eating as a vegetable.
The leaf seeds are used as a food flavoring after mashed until smooth
Vegetable oil can be obtained from the seeds.