What Does a Mustard Plant Look Like?

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Overview

Mustard plants have large leafy greens and yellow flowers. They are sometimes called mustard greens, white mustard or leaf mustard.

Leaves

Mustard leaves are broad and flat veined. Typically dark green, they can have purple streaks and appear curly or smooth, with toothy edges.

Appearance

Mustard leaves cluster together as they grow. Mustard leaves grow from shoots in clusters close together rather than from a single head, like lettuce.

Flowers

Mustard plants develop bright yellow flowers with four petals and six small stamen. The flowers are edible, as are the leaves.

Seed Pods

Mustard plants have long, skinny seed pods. Sometimes colored black, purple or green, the seed pods split in the middle to expose small black or dark brown seeds.

Range

Mustard plants grow throughout most of the North America, Europe, South America and Asia.

References

University of Illinois: Mustard
Purdue University: Mustard Plant
Wildflowers and Weeds: Mustard

Keywords: mustard plant leaves, mustard, mustard plant

About this Author

Based in Northern California, Elton Dunn is a freelance writer and nonprofit consultant with 14 years' experience. Dunn specializes in travel, food, business, gardening, education and the legal fields. His work has appeared in various print and online publications. Dunn holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English.

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