Translate this page:
Summary
Physical Characteristics
Brassica napus napus is a ANNUAL/BIENNIAL growing to 1.2 m (4ft).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from May to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid and very alkaline soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
UK Hardiness Map
US Hardiness Map
Synonyms
Plant Habitats
Cultivated Beds;
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Leaves Oil Oil
Edible Uses: Condiment Oil Oil
Leaves - raw or cooked[4, 34, 37]. Added to salads or used as a potherb[183]. Immature flowering stems - cooked in much the same way as broccoli[183]. An edible oil is obtained from the seed, it is used mainly for cooking purposes, but also for salads[4, 13, 34, 46, 183]. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity. The sprouted seed is often used as the mustard part of mustard and cress. Eaten in salads[4, 34, 37, 183]. The seed is used as a mustard flavouring[183].
References More on Edible Uses
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Diuretic Emollient
The root is emollient and diuretic[240]. The juice of the roots is used in the treatment of chronic coughs and bronchial catarrh[240, 269]. The seed, powdered, with salt is said to be a folk remedy for cancer[269]. Rape oil is used in massage and oil baths, it is believed to strengthen the skin and keep it cool and healthy. With camphor it is applied as a remedy for rheumatism and stiff joints[269].
References More on Medicinal Uses
The Bookshop: Edible Plant Books
Our Latest books on Perennial Plants For Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens in paperback or digital formats.
Edible Tropical Plants
Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
More
Edible Temperate Plants
Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
More
More Books
PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital formats. Browse the shop for more information.
Shop Now
Other Uses
Oil Oil
The seed contains up to 45% of an edible semi-drying oil, it is used as a luminant, lubricant, in soap making etc[13, 21, 57, 142].
Special Uses
References More on Other Uses
Cultivation details
Succeeds in full sun in a well-drained fertile preferably alkaline soil[200]. Succeeds in any reasonable soil[52]. Prefers a heavy soil and cool moist conditions[16, 20]. Sunny days and cool nights are favourable for plant growth whilst dry weather at harvest time is essential[269]. Rape is reported to tolerate an annual precipitation of 30 to 280cm, an annual average temperature range of 5 to 27°C and a pH in the range of 4.2 to 8.2[269]. Very young plants are susceptible to cold damage, -4°C either killing or injuring seedlings, whereas -2°C has no affect when the plants are more than one month old[269]. Rape is widely cultivated for its oil-rich seeds, there are many named varieties. The oil is high in erucic acid and glucosinolates, both of which have anti-nutritional properties. Cultivars have been developed that have a low content of these items and are therefore suitable for food. Rape is 70% self-pollinating and 30% cross-pollinated. Even if wind and insects are absent, seed are still produced. Yield increases with honeybees[269]. The growth of this plant is inhibited by field mustard and hedge mustard growing nearby[18, 20]. This species is closely related to B. rapa[200].
References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information
Temperature Converter
Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:
Fahrenheit:
The PFAF Bookshop
Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).
Shop Now
Plant Propagation
Seed - sow spring in situ.
Other Names
If available other names are mentioned here
Native Range
Coming Soon
Weed Potential
Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section.
Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :
| Related Plants
|
| Latin Name | Common Name | Habit | Height | Hardiness | Growth | Soil | Shade | Moisture | Edible | Medicinal | Other |
| Alliaria petiolata | Garlic Mustard | Biennial | 1.0 |
5-8
| | LMH | FS | MWe | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Arabidopsis thaliana | Thale Cress, Mouseear cress | Annual/Biennial | 0.5 |
0-0
| | LMH | SN | DM | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Arabis alpina | Alpine Rock Cress, Alpine rockcress | Perennial | 0.2 |
4-8
| | LM | SN | M | 2 | 0 | |
| Arabis caucasica | Rock Cress, Wall Rockcress | Perennial | 0.2 |
4-9
| M | LMH | SN | DM | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Arabis hirsuta | Hairy rockcress, Mountain rockcress, Creamflower rockcress | Biennial/Perennial | 0.6 |
4-8
| | LMH | SN | DM | 1 | 0 | |
| Arabis lyrata | Rock Cress, Kamchatka rockcress, Lyrate rockcress | Biennial/Perennial | 0.3 |
4-8
| | LMH | SN | DM | 1 | 0 | |
| Arabis pendula | | Biennial | 0.9 |
-
| | LMH | FSN | M | 1 | 0 | |
| Arabis sagittata | | Biennial/Perennial | 0.6 |
-
| | LMH | SN | DM | 1 | 0 | |
| Arabis serrata | | Perennial | 0.3 |
6-9
| | LMH | SN | M | 1 | 0 | |
| Armoracia rusticana | Horseradish, Red Cole | Perennial | 0.7 |
4-9
| F | LMH | SN | M | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Aubrieta deltoidea | Aubretia, Lilacbush, False Rockcress | Perennial | 0.2 |
4-9
| M | LM | SN | DM | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Aurinia saxatilis | Golden Alyssum, Basket of gold | Perennial | 0.3 |
4-10
| M | LMH | N | DM | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Barbarea australis | | Biennial/Perennial | 0.5 |
-
| | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 1 | |
| Barbarea orthoceras | American Yellowrocket | Perennial | 0.5 |
0-0
| | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Barbarea stricta | Small-flowered winter-cress | Biennial | 0.8 |
3-10
| F | LMH | N | MWe | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Barbarea verna | Land Cress, Early yellowrocket | Biennial | 0.3 |
5-9
| | LMH | FSN | M | 3 | 0 | |
| Barbarea vulgaris | Yellow Rocket, Garden yellowrocket | Perennial | 0.4 |
5-9
| | LMH | SN | M | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Brassica balearica | | Perennial | 0.0 |
-
| | LMH | N | M | 1 | 0 | |
| Brassica carinata | Abyssinian Cabbage | Annual | 1.0 |
9-12
| F | LMH | SN | M | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| Brassica cretica | Mustard | Perennial | 1.0 |
0-0
| | LMH | N | M | 2 | 0 | |
| Brassica elongata | Elongated mustard | Biennial/Perennial | 0.9 |
0-0
| | LMH | SN | M | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Brassica juncea | Brown Mustard | Annual | 0.8 |
6-9
| | LMH | SN | M | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Brassica juncea crispifolia | Curled Mustard | Annual | 0.3 |
6-9
| F | LMH | SN | M | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Brassica juncea foliosa | Leaf Mustard | Annual | 0.3 |
6-9
| F | LMH | SN | M | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Brassica juncea integrifolia crispifolia | Curled Mustard | Annual | 0.3 |
6-10
| F | LMH | SN | M | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Brassica juncea integrifolia rugosa | Head Mustard | Annual | 0.6 |
6-10
| F | LMH | SN | M | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Brassica juncea integrifolia strumata | Large Petiole Mustard | Annual | 0.8 |
6-10
| F | LMH | SN | M | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Brassica juncea integrifolia subintegrifolia | Leaf Mustard | Annual | 0.3 |
6-10
| F | LMH | SN | M | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Brassica juncea multiceps | Green In The Snow | Annual | 0.4 |
6-9
| F | LMH | SN | M | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Brassica juncea napiformis | Root Mustard | Annual | 0.8 |
6-9
| | LMH | SN | M | 4 | 2 | 2 |
|
|
Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.
Expert comment
Author
L.
Botanical References
200
Links / References
For a list of references used on this page please go here
Readers comment
| Add a comment |
|
If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at [email protected]. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.
* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.
To leave a comment please Register or login here All comments need to be approved so will not appear immediately.
|
Subject : Brassica napus napus
|
|
|
|