Wasabina
Brassica juncea
Wikimedia Commons
Broad bright green leaves with deeply scalloped margins are soft and tender with great loft. Slow bolting. Sweet and mildly spicy flavor. Plant densely so leaves remain a proper size for baby leaf and petioles elongate for easy harvest.
Harvest
21d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun to partial shade
Zones
8–11
USDA hardiness
Height
12-18 inches
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Wasabina in USDA Zone 7
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Wasabina · Zones 8–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | — | — | June – July | June – September |
| Zone 2 | — | — | May – July | June – September |
| Zone 11 | — | — | January – February | January – December |
| Zone 12 | — | — | January – February | January – December |
| Zone 13 | — | — | January – February | January – December |
| Zone 3 | — | — | May – June | May – October |
| Zone 4 | — | — | April – June | May – October |
| Zone 5 | — | — | April – May | May – November |
| Zone 6 | — | — | April – May | April – November |
| Zone 7 | — | — | March – May | April – November |
| Zone 8 | — | — | March – April | March – December |
| Zone 9 | — | — | February – March | February – December |
| Zone 10 | — | — | January – March | February – December |
Succession Planting
Wasabina bolts fast once daytime temps push consistently past 80°F, so the succession window is real but short. Direct sow every 14–18 days starting when soil reaches 50°F in spring, through about mid-May — after that, heat will push plants to bolt before you get a full 21-day cut. For fall, pick back up with sowings in late August through September once nighttime temps drop below 70°F.
At 21 days to harvest, you can fit 3–4 successions into a decent spring window without much overlap. Keep each planting to a short row or two — a 4-foot row per sowing is plenty for most households, and peppery mustard greens stack up faster than you'd expect.
Complete Growing Guide
Broad bright green leaves with deeply scalloped margins are soft and tender with great loft. Slow bolting. Sweet and mildly spicy flavor. Plant densely so leaves remain a proper size for baby leaf and petioles elongate for easy harvest. According to Johnny's Selected Seeds, Wasabina is 21 baby; 45 full size to maturity, annual, open pollinated. Notable features: Cold Tolerant, Hydroponic Performer.
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: High Organic Matter. Soil pH: Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.. Spread: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.. Spacing: Less than 12 inches. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: Medium. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
Wasabina reaches harvest at 21 baby; 45 full size from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. As an annual, harvest continues until frost ends the season.
Long pods with round, brown seeds. The fruits will dry and split when ripe. The seeds are harvested for use in condiments and oil.
Color: Brown/Copper. Type: Siliqua.
Garden value: Edible
Edibility: The leaves, seeds, flowers, and stems of this mustard variety are edible raw or cooked. Harvested leaves can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Storage & Preservation
Harvest wasabina at 21 days when leaves are tender and store immediately at 32–40°F in a perforated plastic bag within the crisper drawer; maintain 95% humidity to prevent wilting. Fresh leaves will keep for 5–7 days under these conditions before quality declines. For longer preservation, blanch whole leaves for 2–3 minutes, shock in ice water, pat dry, and freeze in airtight containers or vacuum-sealed bags for up to 10 months. Fermentation works well with wasabina's peppery character—layer leaves with 3–5% salt by weight, press under a weight for 1–2 weeks at cool room temperature, then refrigerate. Drying is less common but possible: hang bundles in a warm, airy space for 2–3 weeks, then crumble and store in airtight jars. Unlike milder lettuces, wasabina's spicy bite intensifies slightly after blanching, making frozen leaves excellent for soups and stir-fries rather than fresh salads post-thaw.
History & Origin
Wasabina is open-pollinated, meaning seed saved from healthy plants will produce true-to-type offspring. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.
Origin: Russia to central Asia
Advantages
- +Beautifully scalloped leaves add visual appeal to salads and plates
- +Mildly spicy flavor provides unique taste compared to standard lettuce varieties
- +Slow bolting habit allows extended harvest window and longer production
- +Ready to harvest in just 21 days from planting
- +Soft tender leaves require minimal processing for baby leaf use
Considerations
- -Requires dense planting which demands careful spacing management and thinning
- -Scalloped leaf edges may trap soil requiring thorough washing before consumption
- -Mild spiciness flavor profile may not appeal to all palates equally
Companion Plants
Radishes and carrots make practical row neighbors — radishes germinate in 5–7 days and break soil crusting that can slow brassica establishment, and their pungent compounds help confuse flea beetles that would otherwise target mustard-family leaves. Garlic and chives work differently: the sulfur compounds they off-gas act as a mild deterrent to green peach aphid (Myzus persicae), which is the primary vector for lettuce mosaic virus on this crop. Nasturtiums pull double duty as a trap crop, drawing aphid colonies onto themselves. French marigolds (Tagetes patula) are worth planting in any bed with a history of root-knot nematode pressure — NC State Extension IPM guidance cites solid planting of French marigolds as a practical suppression strategy before returning susceptible crops to that ground.
Broccoli is the one to skip. It's also a Brassica, so it competes for the same soil calcium and phosphorus, hosts imported cabbageworm (Pieris rapae) that will move freely between plants, and can spread clubroot across the bed if one plant carries it. Sunflowers aren't a disease risk, but they cast enough shade to slow a crop that already needs 4–6 hours of sun to size up in just 21 days — put them somewhere else if you're growing both.
Plant Together
Chives
Repels aphids and improves flavor while taking minimal space
Carrots
Deep roots don't compete with shallow lettuce roots, carrots loosen soil
Radishes
Quick-growing radishes break up soil and can be harvested before lettuce needs space
Marigolds
Repel aphids, whiteflies, and other pests that commonly attack lettuce
Spinach
Similar growing requirements and can be succession planted together
Garlic
Natural pest deterrent against aphids and slugs that damage lettuce leaves
Nasturtiums
Act as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles, draws pests away from lettuce
Dill
Attracts beneficial insects that prey on lettuce pests
Parsley
Compatible growth habits and attracts beneficial insects for pest control
Keep Apart
Broccoli
Competes for nutrients and space, both are heavy nitrogen feeders
Sunflowers
Tall growth creates too much shade and competes heavily for nutrients
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #2346388)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Common Pests
Aphids, slugs, snails
Diseases
Downy mildew, lettuce mosaic virus
Troubleshooting Wasabina
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Seedlings collapsing at the soil line within the first 7–10 days after germination, sometimes with a fuzzy whitish mold on the soil surface nearby
Likely Causes
- Damping off — a fungal complex (commonly Pythium or Rhizoctonia) that thrives in cold, wet, poorly drained soil
- Replanting in the same bed without rotation — NC State Extension's IPM case studies note this pattern in lettuce beds used 3+ years running
What to Do
- 1.Don't reuse the same bed for brassicas or lettuce-family crops without a 2-year break
- 2.Improve drainage before seeding — work in compost to open up compacted soil, or switch to a raised bed
- 3.Water in the morning so the soil surface dries out during the day; avoid evening watering on young seedlings
White to gray fuzzy coating on the undersides of leaves, with yellowing patches on the upper surface, appearing during cool, wet stretches
Likely Causes
- Downy mildew (Peronospora brassicae) — a water mold that moves fast in humid conditions with temps below 65°F
- Dense planting that traps moisture and cuts airflow between plants
What to Do
- 1.Space plants at least 6–8 inches apart — Wasabina reaches 12–18 inches tall and closes in quickly when crowded
- 2.Strip and trash (do not compost) infected leaves as soon as you see them
- 3.If it keeps coming back, apply a copper-based fungicide early in the morning before temperatures climb
Leaves with mosaic-patterned yellowing or mottling, plants stunted and misshapen, no obvious pest visible at first glance
Likely Causes
- Lettuce mosaic virus (LMV) — a potyvirus transmitted by aphids, most often green peach aphid (Myzus persicae)
- Infected transplants or nearby weeds acting as a virus reservoir
What to Do
- 1.Pull and trash infected plants immediately — there's no cure once a plant has LMV
- 2.Check leaf undersides every few days starting at day 14 and knock back aphid colonies with insecticidal soap or a hard water blast
- 3.Plant nasturtiums in the same bed as a trap crop to pull aphids away from Wasabina rows before populations build
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to grow Wasabina lettuce from seed to harvest?▼
Is Wasabina lettuce good for beginners?▼
Can you grow Wasabina lettuce in containers?▼
What does Wasabina lettuce taste like?▼
When should I plant Wasabina lettuce?▼
Does Wasabina need full sun to grow well?▼
Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
Where to Buy Seeds
Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
- ExtensionNC State Extension
- BreederJohnny's Selected Seeds
- USDAUSDA FoodData Central
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.