Brassica napus pabularia
| Brassica napus | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 7 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Self Pollinated | |
| Height: | 4' |
| Blooms: | Late Spring-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Brassica napus pabularia (common name: rape kale)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in situ.
Cultivation: Succeeds in full sun in a well-drained fertile preferably alkaline soil[1]. Succeeds in any reasonable soil[2]. Prefers a heavy soil and cool moist conditions[3][4]. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.2 to 8.3.
Very young plants are susceptible to cold damage, -4°C either killing or injuring seedlings, whereas -2°C has no affect when the plants are more than one month old[5].
The rape kales have non-tuberous roots. They are cultivated for their edible leaves. Plants are intolerant of root disturbance and so should not be transplanted[1].
Rape kale is 70% self-pollinating and 30% cross-pollinated. Even if wind and insects are absent, seed are still produced. Yield increases with honeybees[5].
The growth of this plant is inhibited by field mustard and hedge mustard growing nearby[6][4].
This species is closely related to B. rapa[1].
Range: Europe - Mediterranean. Naturalized in Britain[7].
Habitat: Banks of streams, ditches and arable fields in Britain[7].
Edibility: Leaves - raw or cooked[8][9][10]. Added to salads or used as a potherb[11].
Immature flowering stems - cooked in much the same way as broccoli[11].
An edible oil is obtained from the seed, it is used mainly for cooking purposes, but also for salads[8][12][9][13][11]. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.
The sprouted seed is often used as the mustard part of mustard and cress. Eaten in salads[8][9][10][11].
The seed is used as a mustard flavouring[11].
Medicinal: The root is emollient and diuretic[14]. The juice of the roots is used in the treatment of chronic coughs and bronchial catarrh[14][5].
The seed, powdered, with salt is said to be a folk remedy for cancer[5].
Rape oil is used in massage and oil baths, it is believed to strengthen the skin and keep it cool and healthy. With camphor it is applied as a remedy for rheumatism and stiff joints[5].
Usage: The seed contains up to 45% of an edible semi-drying oil, it is used as a luminant, lubricant, in soap making etc[12][15][16][17].
Pollinators: Bees, self
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Heavy Clay: Grows in heavy-clay soils.
Known Hazards: The oil contained in the seed of some varieties of this species can be rich in erucic acid which is toxic. However, modern cultivars have been selected which are almost free of erucic acid.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Larkcom, Joy. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn, 1980.
- ↑ Simons, Arthur. New Vegetable Growers Handbook. Penguin, 1977.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Riotte, Louise. Carrots Love Tomatoes. Garden Way, 1978.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Duke, James. Handbook of Energy Crops. 1983.
- ↑ Philbrick, Helen and Richard Gregg. Companion Plants. Watkins, 1979.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Nicholson, Barbara and Stephen Harrison. The Oxford Book of Food Plants. Oxford University Press, 1975.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Thompson, Robert. The Gardener's Assistant. Blackie and Son, 1878.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Triska, Jan. Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn, 1975.
- ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.
- ↑ Lust, John. The Herb Book. Bantam Books, 1983.
- ↑ Schery. Robert. Plants for Man. Prentice Hall, 1972.
- ↑ Brouk, Bohuslav. Plants Consumed by Man. Academic Press, 1975.