Japanese name: タアサイ Scientific name:Brassica rapa var. narinosa
[Overview]
A biennial.
It is said to have originated in China, and the stems and leaf veins are yellowish green.
The leaves are dark green, thick and spatulate, with a crinkled surface.
The stems are short, and the leaves spread in a rosette flat against the ground, giving it a distinctive shape.
In warm weather the leaves stand upright.
The flowers are yellow and 4-petaled, borne in racemes at the stem tips.
[History]
It was introduced to Japan before the war, but it did not become widespread at that time.
[Uses]
The leaves are used as a vegetable.
They are rich in carotene, vitamin C and iron.
They have little fiber and are tender, so they cook easily, and the flavor is mild.
The sweetness increases after exposure to frost and cold.
[Cultivation]
Pests include aphids, cabbage worms and armyworms.
[Notes]
Because its sweetness increases around February, it has the alternate name Kisaragi-na (Kisaragi being the old name for the second month).
Taasai is written "塌菜"; the character 塌 has meanings such as "to collapse" and "to be sunken," and refers to the plant's flat form.
