in 2005 there is a note on internet

Genus: Brassica
Species: juncea var. tumida
Cultivar: Er Choy

Available from AgroHaita, which offers this description: "Special variety in Szechuan Province of China. The stem is crispy and delicious and can be used in stir-fry, salad, pickling. Vigorous growing.

Is your seed coming from Szechuan Province?

I would love to get a few seeds from you. I would pickle them.

@dawgie Actually I just got back from picking up my daughter, who is returning from China, at the airport. My sister-in-law sent the seeds. One is a commercial package of what looks like Gai Choi. The other is a baggie with seeds that she says is brassica juncea var.tumida. The seeds come from Chongqing, which is right next to Szechuan. I will plant them this weekend and eventually post here what the results are.

Actually if you'd like to see some of our recent adventures in Szechuan look here:

http://jjulian.org/page2/page108/page108.html

Since I wrote my original note I have found a US source for brassica juncea var.tumida ... Kitazawaseed. They call the mustard I'm most interested in Tsa Tsai Round. You can see their Asian mustards here:

http://www.kitazawaseed.com/seeds_mustard.html

When you mentioned you'd like a few of the seeds and said you'd pickle them (!) I assume you wouldn't pickle the seeds but the resulting fat stems and tubers. Let me see if the seeds I got are even viable and get back to you.

I still hope to find someone here who grows this tuberous Chinese mustard to get a few hints.

Sounds interesting. I'm not aware of any brassica that produces a tuber. Please keep us posted.

It has been awhile since I have grown Tsa Tsai. In my garden (San Diego inland) it grew slowly and close to the ground. I tried cooking it like Bok Choy and it was not so good. It did form a big root, but then most brassicas do if left alone. Not sure this is the one you have. I am curious to know when they plant this where your SIL got the seeds. I usually plant this type of veggie late fall to spring. For the Gai Choy type mustard my favs our Bau Sin and Big Stem.

@reefisher The greens on this variety are normally used for soup in China. not stir fried like Bok Choy. The seeds didn't get in last weekend as I'm currently wrestling my lovely wife for space in the garden! Please translate "SIL".

Thanks!

SIL=sister in law

[IMG]http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b323/reefisher/misc/images.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b323/reefisher/misc/Tumerous.jpg[/IMG]

After looking at some pics, the Tsa tsoi I grew was not this cultivar.

Yes I am into pickling veggies but not the seeds.

My hope is that your mustard will give plenty of seeds. If it is too hot for the plant it might go to seed quickly. Around here most regular mustards go to seed quickly. And obviously produce abundant seed. So I might suggest if the first planting is too early then leave it for seed. If the later planting is good then eat that planting more.

You are lucky to have such a good growing season where you live. Around here I must plan carefully and then make use of every day fully. Right now I am already running somewhat short on grow time, especially for making seeds. I would be most interested in seeds for next year if you are successful in making seeds this year.

Just as a side note. It is common to add mustard seed to pickled cucumbers in USA. of course along with other spices. But I would never use valuable seeds for spicing up a pickle.

All my pickles are done with natural fermentation. Not the fake vinegar flavorings.

@dawg Well you're right about too hot. My Chinese wife insists that I don't plant the mustard until mid-October at the earliest. This will actually give me room as the beans may be finished by then. So the mustard saga is on hold for a while, but I'll update when the results are known.