The mustard plant is often used in cooking and the seeds are Used to make - you guessed It - Mustard

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There are various types of the mustard plant. Some are native to the Mediterranean area. These are the white or yellow varieties and the brown mustard has origins in the Himalayan area.

Both types of mustard are started in early spring in order to be ready to harvest in the fall. As small as they are when they start out they seem to grow almost before your eyes. The blooms do not take long to start and they are very yellow.

The plant grows to about 6 feet and seed pods start to appear as soon as the flowers start going away. The white mustard plant can have as many as 8 seeds while the brown mustard may have 20. The plants are not hard to grow. They do not have many insects that bother them and they are versatile when it comes to the weather.

Mustard seeds have been used as a spice for years. The Indians and Sumerians have recorded use of this spice all the way back to 3000 B.C. The mustard seed, according to some and the New Testament is said to be a faith symbol.

Both brown and white mustard seeds have no odor when whole but they do have a strong taste. Containing about 30 to 40 % vegetable oil they also contain an enzyme, myrosin as well as protein in a minute amount.

When they are Ground they are also odorless but when mixed with water, this causes a chemical reaction. This is what makes mustard have what it is known for - the bitter taste and a strong smell. White mustard is not as pungent but it does have some heat which is noticeable on your tongue.

When purchasing mustard at your local grocer, you will notice they are normally sold either as seeds, powder or mixed with other spices to form a paste. Mustard has become the biggest spice on the market today.

Not only is the plant responsible for providing us with a spice but the medicinal purposes it was used for was a plaster that was used for colds and other illnesses.

Since the mustard plant can also have edible leaves this is the plant people are talking about when they say they pick mustard greens for cooking.

The mustard belongs to the genus Brassica, which is the same one as turnips, cabbages, cauliflower and rapeseed belong. Canada is responsible for growing 90 % of the mustard seed that is sold on the international market.

Recently studies have been conducted into certain types of mustard plants to see if they may be used in producing biodiesel. This is due to the high oil content and the properties of the oil which may be just the thing for a liquid fuel that is quite similar to diesel fuel.

In case you thought the mustard plant was just a regular old plant, now you know it has many purposes and you might decide to grow a few in your own garden.

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