Mountain View News Saturday, March 14, 2026 


CHRISTOPHER Nyerges

 [Nyerges is an educator and author. His many books can be 
seen at www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com.] 

THE HILLS ARE IN BLOOM WITH THE 
YELLOW OF MUSTARD 

Every spring in Southern California, assuming there has been sufficient rain, the hillsides 
and fields from the beaches to the foothills are brightly colored with masses of the yellow flowers of mustard. 
It’s impossible to miss them since they are nearly everywhere. You see the hillsides covered yellow along most 
of the freeway – along the Pasadena Freeway, the 605, parts of the 210. You see mustard covering the hills 
in most of the natural area parks, such as Schabarum Park in Walnut. They grow in vacant lots, in fields, in 
the freeway median, and along hiking 
trails. Mustard is everywhere in the 
Santa Monica Mountains. 

Though you could harvest the seeds 
and make the popular mustard condiment, 
this is not the species usually 
used to make mustard. Foragers can 
collect the younger leaves, clean them, 
and use them in salad, or better, in 
cooked dishes such as soups, stir-fries, 
and egg dishes. As with the seeds, the 
leaves are spicy-hot and liven up any 
salad. 

These ubiquitous mustard plants are 
non-native and highly invasive, so foragers 
are generally welcomed to pick 
them. They are regarded as one of 
the most invasive plants in Southern 
California. 

If not native, how did these mustard 
plants get here in the first place. 

According to botanist Dr. Leonid Enari, 
the Spanish missionaries brought the 
mustard seed from Spain to use for 
food and medicine. Even the dried 
stalks of old mustard were used in the 
making of the adobe bricks, as analysis 
of the bricks has proved. 

Dr. Enari described to his students how 
the young leaves can be washed, diced, 
and added to most dishes, and even the 
seeds can be collected from the dried 
plants though it is time-consuming. 

Dr. Enari shared the popular story that 
the Spanish missionaries spread the 
seeds from mission to mission as they 
travelled north. 

He said that in the first few years, aSpanish boat out in the Pacific would be able to see a river of bright yellow flowers, which marked the path 
from mission to mission, the El Camino Real. Dr. Enari would laugh as he told the story, pointing out that this 
would work for a few years, but after the first decade, the “path” of mustard grew wider and wider. “Eventually,
it was everywhere,” shared Dr. Enari, and there was no longer a meaningful path. 

Dr. Enari also shared what may be urban folklore, suggesting that the author of “The Wizard of Oz.” got his 
inspiration for the yellow brick road from the flowering mustard path of El Camino Real. 

It’s well known that the mustard was introduced by Spanish missionaries and colonizers, and botanists point 
out that there is no evidence of mustard being present before the missionaries came. But it's a bit harder to 
prove that black mustard was intentionally planted to mark the paths, and the point is sometimes debated. 

Ivy Loeber of the Napa Historical Society believes that it was actually Father Junipero Serra who scattered the 
mustard seeds as they travelled north. 

“So wherever you see the Spanish mustard in California, you know the Spanish fathers visited there," wrote 
Loeber, which is hardly true today since the hardy mustard has travelled so far beyond any original path. 

It’s a fascinating story about the origins of mustard in California, though definitive evidence that Father Serra 
himself planted the first mustard seeds is difficult to find. 

Once mustard takes hold in a landscape, it can be extremely difficult for native plants to return, as directors of 
most of the local natural area parks can attest. It germinates earlier than other plants, grows in extremely dense 
patches, and its roots leech out allelopathic chemicals into the soil, preventing anything else --especially other 
native plants -- from growing nearby. 

Then, when the black mustard dries up during the summer, it becomes fuel for wildfires, which is why it must 
be cut back quickly to prevent fires. And this is also why foragers will always be welcome to collect young mustard 
for food. [But be nice and always ask first]. 

IDENTIFY MUSTARD 

Mustard plants are members of the Mustard Family, comprising about 3780 species world-wide. There are six 
common “mustard plants” that we find in California, all non native. Five are of the Brassica genus, such as the 
black mustard, Brassica nigra. The Mediterranean mustard was once designated by botanists as a Brassica, but 
it is now in its own genus, as Hirschfeldia incana. 

The flowers consist of four petal, four sepals, six stamens, and one pistil. The leaves are pinnately divided, 
meaning that they look similar to a guitar, with a large end lobe, and smaller side lobes. 

If you’re uncertain if the plant you’ve found is a mustard, take it to any nursery or post the picture on-line for 
verification. But do not ever eat any wild plant until you have positively identified it. 

USING MUSTARD FOR FOOD 

The young leaves are best for salad, since the older leaves become tough and bitter. All the leaves can be cooked 
in soups, egg dishes, and stir-fries. They can also be washed, diced, and pickled. The yellow flowers taste like 
mild broccoli and add color to salads and soups. 

If you want to try the seeds, go to an area where the plants have grown tall and begun to dry. The narrow pods 
will be tan colored. The technique for harvesting mustard seeds that I have found most efficient is to collect 
the entire dried plants (containing the seed pods) into a 5 gallon plastic bucket. As you pack the dried plants 
the bucket, the pods break and the seeds are released, going to the bottom of the bucket. You can keep addingdried material to the bucket, and mash it, and the seeds will go to the bottom. Then, when you remove all the 
plant material, all the brown seeds will be in the bottom of the bucket. After winnowing, you’ll have the pure 
seed, which you can add to other foods, or grind into powder. (Note: it takes me about an hour to get a cup 
of the seed). 

WHAT DO THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE THINK 

According to Heidi Lucero, chairwoman of the tribal council of the Juaneno Band of Mission Indians, “The 
colonizers came in and choked out the Native people here. And now the plants they brought are choking out 
the native plants here. It’s kind of a good comparison.” 

Abe Sanchez is a founding member of the Indigenous food group called Chia Café Collective, with a book by 
the same name which describes how to eat native foods. Lately, Sanchez has been recommending that those 
interested in foraging leave the native plants alone, and eat the leaves and flowers of the non-native mustard 
instead. 

### 

Herbalist Barbara Kolander in a field of mustard flowers. 


A single mustard leaf 


SWEET SISTERS NEED SOME 
ST. PAT’S LUCK! 

Abbyand her 
sister, 
Coraline,
share a 
specialbond,

and their connection is trulyheartwarming to see!

 As sisters, now age 2, Abby andCoraline have grown up togetherand share a beautiful connection. 
These adorable tabbies would love to 
stay together if possible, continuingtheir journey side by side in a foreverhome. 


In short,
Abby isplayful and loving, while Coraline is sweet and affectionate. 


Two’s company--how can you want anything more! Learnmore about them and apply to meet them athttps://www.lifelineforpets.org/abigail--coraline.html, or 
use the QR code here. 

Pet of the Week

 Meet Zoolander, a 5-year-old Doberman at PasadenaHumane with striking good looks and a personalityto match. With his sleek build and regal presence,
he definitely knows how to work his angles — youmight even say he’s mastered “Blue Steel.” Some haveeven claimed he’s “really, really, really ridiculouslygood-looking.” 

Zoolander is a friendly guy who enjoys spending timewith his people. He’s easy to leash, knows how to sitfor treats, and after taking a few minutes to exploreand sniff his surroundings, he’s happy to come over foraffection. He’s especially sweet in those quiet moments,
like when he rests his head on your lap or leans in closefor attention.

 
Like any good model, Zoolander likes to check out the scene first before settlingin. Once he’s comfortable, his affectionate side shines through. He is an active guywho will benefit from a confident handler and continued guidance on leash.
If you’re looking for a handsome companion with heart, come meet Zoolander!

 The adoption fee for dogs is $150. All dog adoptions include spay or neuter,
microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines.

 Walk-in adoptions are available every day from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. View photos ofadoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org. New adopters will receive a complimentaryhealth-and-wellness exam from VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as a goody bagfilled with information about how to care for your pet.Pets may not be available foradoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phone calls or email. 


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