mystery garden stray...

[bobcat]

They are mustard greens (Brassica juncea). If you let it go to seed, you'll see the tell-tale yellow cruciform flowers - and they'll come back year after year if you let one of the plants go. They're a a big component of Asian cooking (Indian, Nepalese, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, etc.) so, yes, perfectly edible, good in salads, stir fries, etc.

[Waffle Stomper]

We can't say we don't have a big pool of knowledge here at OregonHikers. There is always somebody in the know.

[Koda]

They are mustard greens (Brassica juncea). If you let it go to seed, you'll see the tell-tale yellow cruciform flowers - and they'll come back year after year if you let one of the plants go. They're a a big component of Asian cooking (Indian, Nepalese, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, etc.) so, yes, perfectly edible, good in salads, stir fries, etc.

so earlier this evening I tasted one raw and it spiced up my mouth with a peppery mustard flavor. I waited an hour and tasted it again and all I could think about was it tastes like mustard, it wasn’t lettuce or kale.

I’m going to go with what Bobcat said as a positive ID and look up ways to cook it. Thanks Bobcat. it also explains why the plant comes back on its own.


https://duckduckgo.com/?q=mustard+green ... &ia=images

[sprengers4jc]

I'm with Jerry, greenleafy+tastesgood=probablynotgonnakillyou.

Break a stalk, smell it.

If it smells ok, taste it.

If it tastes ok, eat some.

If you don't puke, eat more.

Then report back, especially if there are horrible disfiguring side effects.

(i'm not actually sure if kale would pass the "tastes ok" part of this test)

[kepPNW]

so maybe one of you guys can come over and step up to the plate (pun intended)

I think I'm too far away to stop by for a snack. I nominate Karl.