What mustard and rapeseed have in common
Mustard and rapeseed look alike for a reason: they both belong to the cruciferous family, both bloom yellow and even the leaves are similar. They also have a height of 30 to 150 or 180cm in common
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A comparison of mustard and rapeseed
| Comparative feature | mustard | Rapeseed |
|---|---|---|
| genus | Cabbage (Brassica) (brown and black mustard), mustard (yellow mustard) | Cabbage (Brassica) |
| family | Cruciferous vegetables (Brassicales) | Cruciferous vegetables (Brassicales) |
| Botanical name | Sinapis (yellow or white mustard), Brassica nigra (black mustard), Brassica juncea (brown mustard) | Brassica napus |
| Stature | 30 to 180cm | 30 to 150cm |
| leaves | pinnate leaves with jagged edges that are reminiscent of rocket | feathery, a little less jagged than mustard |
| blossom | pale yellow flowers with four petals | pale yellow flowers with four petals |
| Heyday | June to September | April to May |
| use | Leaves as a side salad or spice in dishes, seeds for mustard production or as a spice, green manure | For the production of rapeseed oil and animal feed |
The main differentiator: the flowering period
Even if the flowers of rapeseed and mustard look very similar, it is easy to tell them apart. Because rapeseed and mustard actually never bloom at the same time. While rapeseed has its flowering time in late spring in the months of April and May, mustard flowers in summer, usually from August, and more rarely in July or June.
A few inconspicuous differences can also be found in the leaves: Mustard leaves are more jagged at the edge and often more pinnate than rape leaves.
Better safe than sorry: the odor test
Everyone knows the penetrating smell of rapeseed. Doesn't the field smell like that at all? Then it's mustard for sure.
Use of rapeseed and mustard
While mustard seeds are very aromatic and thus enjoy great popularity as a spice, rapeseed seeds are used for the production of oil. The leaves of mustard also have a mild mustard taste and are therefore used in salads or as a spice in soups etc. What hardly anyone knows: Rapeseed leaves are also edible. However, they are less aromatic than mustard, but can also be used fresh and cooked. Make sure you are harvesting unsprayed leaves and grab them before they bloom!
