It is an annual plant growing to 20–100 cm tall. The leaves are deeply pinnately lobed with four to ten small lateral lobes and a large terminal lobe. The flowers are 2–4 cm diameter, arranged in a corymb, with the typical Brassicaceae flower structure; the petals are creamy white with purple veins, and the stamens yellow; the sepals are persistent after the flower opens. The fruit is a siliqua (pod) 12–25 mm long with an apical beak, and containing several seeds.
Young leaves - raw or cooked. A distinct strongly spicy flavour, the taste is best from fast, well-grown plants. A few leaves added to a salad are acceptable though the flavour is too strong for many tastes. Some people really like these leaves though most are not very keen.
Older leaves that have become too hot to eat on their own can be pureed and added to soups etc. In the milder areas of Britain it is possible to produce edible leaves all year round from successional sowings, especially if the winter crop is given some protection. Flowers - raw. A similar taste to the leaves, they make a nice garnish on the salad bowl. The seed yields a semi-drying oil which is edible if stored 6 months and is a substitute for rapeseed oil. It contains 32% fat, 27% protein. It is known as 'jamba oil'. A mustard is obtained from the seed, the strong flavour comes from an essential oil that is contained within the oil of the seed.
The pungency of mustard develops when cold water is added to the ground-up seed - an enzyme (myrosin) acts on a glycoside (sinigrin) to produce a sulphur compound. The reaction takes 10 - 15 minutes. Mixing with hot water or vinegar, or adding salt, inhibits the enzyme and produces a mild bitter mustard.
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