Variety field guide
What to expect from Red Komatsuna
Red Komatsuna is an annual komatsuna selection grown for baby leaf, full-size greens, succession planting, cool-season gardens, and seed saving.
Read the complete product descriptionTraits, flavor, garden use, variety notes, and the full catalog record
Red Komatsuna produces broad, tender leaves with striking deep red to purple coloring and crisp, mild mustard-spinach flavor. The flavor from Re d Komatsuna is smooth and versatile-milder than mustard greens but with more character than spinach-making it ideal for stir-fries, soups, salads, and sautéed dishes. Young leaves are especially tender for fresh eating, while mature leaves hold up well to cooking.
About Red Komatsuna
Red Komatsuna is an annual selection of komatsuna, with a rosette habit and an expected height or spread of 7–12 in. It is best suited to baby leaf, full-size greens, succession planting, cool-season gardens, and seed saving. Notable traits include red coloring; cut baby leaves young or harvest full-size plants before quality declines; peppery to mustard-like flavor that strengthens with age and heat.
Choose Red Komatsuna when the garden plan calls for baby leaf, full-size greens, succession planting, cool-season gardens, and seed saving and the listed rosette habit fits the available space.
History and provenance
Brassica rapa includes multiple East Asian and Eurasian crop groups selected for greens, heads, stems, flower shoots, or roots. Common names overlap across languages and catalogs, so this record uses the crop group and observable harvest form rather than treating every Brassica rapa green as the same vegetable. Mustard Seeds - Red Komatsuna belongs to a plant lineage long associated with Mediterranean and Old World garden agriculture. It was selected over generations for kitchen, market, ornamental, or herbal value and remains useful in modern home gardens. Komatsuna is a Japanese Brassica rapa green selected for upright leaves and broad culinary use.
Growing facts
| Scientific name | Brassica rapa L. Perviridis Group |
|---|---|
| Life cycle | Annual |
| Maturity | 30-39 Days |
| Germination | 3-7 Days at 45–60 °F |
| Seed depth | 1/4 in |
| Plant height / spread | 7–12 in |
| Growth habit | Rosette |
| Spacing | 6 in between plants; 12 in between rows |
| Sunlight | Full - Partial Sun |
| Soil | Loamy; pH 6.0–6.5 |
| Water | Moderate |
| Support | No-Support |
Starting Red Komatsuna from seed
Sow 1/4 in deep and keep the seed zone evenly moist. Expect emergence in 3-7 Days when the seed-zone temperature is near 45–60 °F. Germination preparation: Direct sow into a prepared, weed-free seedbed; avoid disturbing developing roots or dense stands. Light requirement: Cover evenly to 1/4 in. Soaking: None required. Stratification: None required. Scarification: None required.
Planting and care
Plant during spring and provide full - partial sun. Space plants 6 in apart with 12 in between rows. Use loamy with a pH near 6.0–6.5, and follow a moderate watering plan. Support requirement: No-Support. Frost response: Hardy. Good container fit with drainage, even moisture, and the listed spacing
Harvest and use
Approximately 30-39 Days, from direct sowing to the listed baby-leaf or full-size harvest stage. Weather, soil temperature, and planting method can shift the actual harvest date. Harvest: Cut baby leaves young or harvest full-size plants before quality declines. Uses: Baby leaf, full-size greens, succession planting, cool-season gardens, and seed saving. Flavor: peppery to mustard-like flavor that strengthens with age and heat. Seed saving: Insect-pollinated Brassica rapa. Best uses include baby leaf, full-size greens, succession planting, cool-season gardens, and seed saving. Flavor and eating quality: peppery to mustard-like flavor that strengthens with age and heat.
Saving seed
Select several healthy, true-to-type Red Komatsuna plants that match the expected rosette habit and overall plant form. Avoid saving seed only from the earliest or largest individual unless that is your deliberate selection goal. Pollination system: Insect-pollinated Brassica rapa. Crop groups within Brassica rapa can cross with one another. Separate compatible varieties that may flower together, or use cages, barriers, hand pollination, or another documented control appropriate to the crop. Allow selected plants to pass the eating stage and reach full botanical seed maturity. Harvest only when seed heads, pods, or fruits have matured enough for sound seed development. Clean the seed carefully, dry it thoroughly away from direct heat, label the lot with variety and year, and store it cool, dark, and dry. Test germination before an important planting or distribution season.
Common problems
Common concerns: Flea beetles, imported cabbageworm, cabbage loopers, aphids, slugs, root maggots, and clubroot risk where the pathogen is present. Management: Use rotation, insect netting before pests arrive, regular leaf inspection, sanitation, and well-drained soil. Do not plant the same brassica family repeatedly in one bed. Diagnosis note: Similar symptoms can have different causes. Compare plants of the same age, record weather and irrigation, and use local Extension or diagnostic support before applying a control.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions - Red Komatsuna
When is Red Komatsuna ready? Use 30-39 Days. Approximately 30-39 Days, from direct sowing to the listed baby-leaf or full-size harvest stage. Weather, soil temperature, and planting method can shift the actual harvest date.
How long does germination take? Expect 3-7 Days at about 45–60 °F. Cooler, hotter, crusted, saturated, or dry seedbeds can slow emergence.
How large does it grow? Expect about 7–12 in with a rosette habit. Space plants 6 in apart and rows 12 in apart. Support: No-Support.
Can it grow in a container? Good container fit with drainage, even moisture, and the listed spacing Use a container with drainage and enough volume to maintain the listed spacing and steady moisture.
Can I save seed? Insect-pollinated Brassica rapa. Keep compatible varieties isolated and allow selected plants to reach full seed maturity.
