Facts about Mustard Tree
The mustard tree (Salvadora persica) grows wild over much of the Middle East and Africa, and is thought by some to be the source of the mustard seed referenced in Scripture. The tree, which grows to a maximum height of 25 feet and has thick, 1 1/2- to 3-inch leaves, thrives in moist areas near rivers and waterholes but can live on less than 8 inches of rainfall each year. Plant hardiness zones 10 through 11 of the United States Department of Agriculture are suitable for it. The seeds used to manufacture condiment mustard are not taken from the mustard tree; instead, they are gathered from Brassica family plants.
As Keen as Mustard
Desert browsers like goats and camels gorge themselves on the mustard tree’s mustard-flavored, moisture-rich edible leaves, the most delicate of which are also consumed by humans. The tree produces 2- to 5-inch-long panicles of tiny, greenish-yellow flowers from January to April. Those blooms produce pea-size fruits that develop to a maroon colour after pollination, and each fruit carries a single seed. The fruits have a strong taste and may be eaten fresh, dry, or cooked, despite being sweeter than the leaves.
Mustard Preparation
The sensitive young sticks plucked from the mustard tree have been used as antibacterial teeth cleaning for hundreds of years, earning it the nickname toothbrush tree. People who want to “brush” their teeth usually remove the bark off a young stick and chew on the inside fibres. Peelu, which is often found in alternative toothpastes, is made up of these fibres.
Mustard Seed in a Grain
To start growing mustard trees from seeds, soak the fruits of a mustard tree in lukewarm water for one to three days, or until the pulp has become runny. To harvest the little brown seeds, strain the pulp through fine cheesecloth. Scatter the seeds in a seedling flat or other container filled with wet sand while they are still wet, then push them into the sand’s surface. The seeds should sprout within 24 hours if the pulp, which includes germination inhibitors, has been entirely removed. The greatest results are obtained by placing the container on a heat pad and keeping the sand temperature in the mid-80s to mid-90s Fahrenheit. Because mustard trees develop slowly, it may be essential to wait until they are three years old before transplanting them outside.
Because of the golden colour of its tubular blossoms, tree tobacco (Nicotiana glauca), which grows hardy in USDA zones 8 through 11, is sometimes known as “mustard tree.” It is a very poisonous and invasive South American soft-wooded shrub that may grow up to 20 feet tall and has 2- to 8-inch oval, bluish-gray leaves.