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Mizuna Facts

Mizuna Facts
Mizuna is type of salad green that belongs to the mustard family. It originates from China, but it can be found all over the world today. Mizuna grows in areas with mild and cold climate, on the moist, fertile soil, exposed to the full sun (during the winter) or in the partial shade (during the summer). It is used as leafy vegetables in human diet in Japan for centuries. There are 16 different varieties of mizuna that differ in texture, taste and color. Most of them are cultivated as a source of food, while some varieties are cultivated in ornamental purposes.
Interesting Mizuna Facts:
Mizuna has thin, trailing stem with densely packed cluster of leaves on top of it. It can reach 9 inches in height and 18 inches in diameter.
Mizuna has long, broad leaves that are deeply serrated on the edges. Depending on the variety, leaves can be light or dark green, reddish-purple or dark purple in color with white or reddish-colored, slender stalks. Thanks to the feathery look of leaves, mizuna looks like a type of fern.
Mizuna produces small yellow flowers arranged in the multi-branched terminal clusters. Flowers contain both types of reproductive organs (perfect flowers).
Mizuna blooms during the spring and summer. Flowers attract bees that are responsible for the pollination of this plant.
Fruit of mizuna is pod filled with seed.
Mizuna propagates via seed.
Mizuna belongs to the group of fast-growing plants. Its leaves are ready for the harvest 6 weeks after sowing.
Mizuna is rich source of vitamins C, A and B9 and iron.
Leaves of mizuna are very similar to leaves of arugula, but they have less bitter taste. Leaves of mizuna are soft and have piquant, earthy, mustard-like flavor. Leaf stalks are sweet and juicy and have crispy texture. They are used for the preparation of soups, stir-fries, as a topping for pizza and pasta, and as an ingredient of sandwiches and burgers. Seed pods are also edible.
Mizuna can be also consumed pickled, or served as appetizer coated in salt, sugar and rice vinegar in Japan.
Mizuna is often prepared in combination with apples, pears, figs, nuts, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, cheese and bacon.
Mizuna is available year round, but it produces leaves of best quality during the autumn. Even though it can be found in the grocery stores around the world, mizuna is still mostly consumed in Asia.
Name "mizuna" is combination of two Japanese words: "mizu", which means "water", and "nu" which is used to describe "mustard plant".
Mizuna can prevent development of certain types of cancer. It is good for growing children due to high content of iron.
Mizuna can be cultivated as annual (life span: one year) or biennial plant (life span: two years).


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