Field Mustard
Brassica rapa
Also known as: Pak Choi
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Brassicaceae
- Genus:
- Brassica
- Species:
- Brassica rapa
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual | Biennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 3-4 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- mar, apr, may, jun, jul, aug
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
Native Range
United States: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming, Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Alfalfa Looper (Autographa californica), Army cutworm (Euxoa auxiliaris), Bertha armyworm (Mamestra configurata), Black cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon), Bronzed Cutworm (Nephelodes minians), cabbage budworm moth (Hellula phidilealis), Cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni), cabbage webworm (Hellula undalis), Castor semi-looper (Achaea janata), darksided cutworm (Euxoa messoria), Diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella), dingy cutworm (Feltia jaculifera), European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis), Evergestis pallidata, Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), fragile anacamptodes moth (Anacamptodes fragilaria), kidney-spotted minor (Lacinipolia renigera), lesser cornstalk borer (Elasmopalpus lignosellus), nutmeg (Discestra trifolii), Old Man Dart (Agrotis vetusta), Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum), Small Mocis Moth (Mocis latipes), Striped Garden Caterpillar Moth (Trichordestra legitima), Sweetpotato Armyworm (Spodoptera dolichos), tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta), underworld dart (Agrotis subterranea), Variegated cutworm (Peridroma saucia), Virginia Tiger Moth (Spilosoma virginica), White-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata), Yellow-striped armyworm (Spodoptera ornithogalli), zebra caterpillar moth (Melanchra picta), Checkered White (Pontia protodice), Large Marble (Euchloe ausonides), Sara Orangetip (Anthocharis sara)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus), Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus), Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Tri-colored bumble bee (Bombus ternarius), Tri-colored bumble bee (Bombus ternarius), Yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus), Yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus)
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- fertile, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- good drainage preferred
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- native to temperate regions with rich soils