Mustard Charis | Japanese Mustard Greens | Seeds

Mustard Charis produces glossy red-purple leaves with finely serrated edges and a flavour that combines savoury umami notes with mild spiciness. Its colourful foliage adds contrast to salads, while the tender leaves are equally useful for pickling and light cooking.

With an upright growth habit, Charis develops an attractive, uniform crop. Harvest young for baby-leaf salads or allow plants to reach approximately 20–30 cm for a compact, larger-leaf harvest.

Plant Information

Common names: Leaf mustard, mustard greens
Variety: Charis
Crop type: Asian leafy vegetable
Leaf colour: Red-purple
Leaf appearance: Glossy with finely serrated edges
Flavour: Savoury umami with mild spiciness
Plant habit: Upright
Harvest stage: Baby leaves or compact plants approximately 20–30 cm tall
Position: Sun or partial shade
Soil: Fertile, moisture-retentive and well drained
Seed form: Standard, non-pelleted seeds
Seed treatment: Untreated
Uses: Salads, sandwiches, pickling and light cooking

Colourful Leaves with a Mild Mustard Kick

Charis brings rich red-purple colour and a delicate leaf texture to mixed salads. Combine it with green mizuna, lettuce and rocket for a varied harvest of fresh leaves.

Pick young leaves for salads and sandwich fillings. Larger leaves can be pickled, briefly stir-fried or stirred into soups towards the end of cooking.

The red-purple foliage contains anthocyanin pigments, which contribute to its distinctive colour.

When to Sow

Mustard greens are particularly suited to spring and late-summer sowings, when cooler conditions favour leafy growth.

In warmer climates, concentrate sowings in the cooler months. Protected cultivation can extend the season, although growth slows when temperatures and light levels fall.

Sow small batches approximately every two weeks during suitable conditions for a regular supply of fresh leaves.

Sowing

Sowing method: Direct sow into prepared soil or containers
Sowing depth: Approximately 0.5 cm
For baby leaves: Sow closely and harvest young
For larger plants: Thin seedlings to give the developing leaves sufficient room

Prepare a fine seedbed, sow the seeds and cover lightly with soil. Water gently and maintain even moisture during germination and early growth.

For container growing, choose a pot with drainage holes and use a suitable vegetable-growing compost.

Growing Conditions & Care

Grow in fertile, well-drained soil and water regularly to encourage steady growth and tender leaves. Avoid prolonged waterlogging or allowing the soil to dry out completely.

Hot weather and drought stress can encourage premature flowering. In warm periods, some afternoon shade can help reduce heat stress.

Cover the crop with fine insect mesh from sowing to help protect seedlings from flea beetles. Rotate with crops outside the brassica family.

Harvesting

Begin picking when the leaves reach your preferred size. Harvest young for tender salad leaves or allow plants to reach approximately 20–30 cm for larger leaves.

For continued picking, remove the outer leaves while leaving the centre intact. If cutting the foliage, cut above the growing point to allow regrowth under favourable conditions.

Harvest in the cooler part of the day and refrigerate promptly. The time to harvest depends on the season, growing conditions and desired leaf size.