Volunteer

Brassica juncea. Prostrate plants 9.5-15" wide and 2.5-5" tall. Lanceolate leaves entirely green with toothed margin and stiff pubescence along veins and midveins and at leaf apex. Largest leaves 6.5-8.3" long and 2.3-3.5" wide. Early bolting when grown in spring 2014 at Heritage Farm. Best planted as a fall crop due to quick bolting. Good flavor with intense but short-lived pungency. Crisp, juicy leaves are best cooked due to irritating hairs. SSE member Virginia Plumley (WV PL V) originally found this mustard growing on the farm they purchased in 1953. When Virginia began sharing seeds in the SSE Yearbook Exchange, she didn't provide a name for the mustard, saying just that she found it "volunteering" in her garden. She shared the variety with Jim Tjepkema (MN TJ J) in 1980s, who began reoffering it in the Yearbook under the name ‘Volunteer’ and later donated seed to SSE in 2006. SSE Accession # 113931