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or '''Japanese mustard spinach''' (''Brassica rapa'' var. ''perviridis'') is a [[leaf vegetable]]. It is a variety of ''[[Brassica rapa]]'', the plant [[species]] that yields the [[turnip]], [[mizuna]], [[napa cabbage]], and [[rapini]]. It is grown commercially in [[Japan]] and [[Taiwan]]. It is a versatile vegetable that is cooked and eaten in many ways. The plant is also used for [[fodder]] in some Asian countries.
The leaves of komatsuna may be eaten at any stage of their growth. In a mature plant they are dark green with slender light green stalks, around long and wide. It is most often grown in the spring and autumn, as it cannot endure heat wave or cold for more than a short time. Although nowadays it's grown year-round in greenhouses.
Since the days of the shogun, komatsuna has been bred to have a sweeter taste. The old variety thought to have been served to the shogun is not widely available. That variety is called Goseki bansei. It grows faster and has bigger but fewer leaves than ordinary komatsuna, and a strong, spicy flavor.
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