Brassica napus is rapeseed, the oilseed crop that gives canola oil. Canola is rapeseed bred in Canada in the 1970s to be low in erucic acid and glucosinolates, making it suitable for food. In India most mustard oil comes from Brassica juncea, though Brassica napus, called gobhi sarson, is grown in Punjab and Haryana. The same species also gives the swede or rutabaga root.
- Botanical name
- Brassica napus L.
- Family
- Brassicaceae
- Tamil
- Rape seed
- Hindi
- Canola
- Parts used
- Seed oil
- Habit
- Oilseed rape; English mustard is a shop word
- Last updated
- 2026-10-30
How to recognise Rapeseed
It is an annual with smooth, bluish-green leaves. The upper leaves clasp the stem, unlike the stalked, hairy leaves of Indian mustard.
Bright yellow, four-petalled flowers grow in loose clusters at the top of tall stems.
The pods (siliques) are long and slender with a short beak, holding small, round, dark seeds.
Indian mustard, Brassica juncea, has rough, hairy, lobed leaves and a more pungent seed.
Traditional use of Rapeseed
European farming
Rapeseed oil was traditionally used for lamps and lubricants, and the crop was grown as fodder.
European agricultural history
Indian farming
Gobhi sarson is sown in the rabi season in Punjab and Haryana alongside other mustards.
North Indian farm practice
Modern notes on Rapeseed
Canola oil is low in saturated fat and contains omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid, and it is widely used for cooking.
Older high-erucic rapeseed oils caused heart problems in animal studies, which led to the breeding of low-erucic canola.
Rapeseed safety
Use refined canola or approved rapeseed oil for cooking. Unrefined high-erucic oils are not used as food in many countries.
Ecology and sourcing
It arose as a natural hybrid of cabbage (Brassica oleracea) and turnip (Brassica rapa).
Its flowers are a major spring food source for bees, and rapeseed honey is common in Europe.
It needs cool weather to grow and flower.
Related plants
Also in Brassicaceae
Questions about Rapeseed
Is canola the same as rapeseed?
Canola is low-erucic, low-glucosinolate rapeseed.
Is mustard oil from Rapeseed plant?
Mostly no. Indian mustard oil comes from Brassica juncea.
What is gobhi sarson?
The Punjabi name for this crop.
Sources
- Brassica napus L. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q177932 (Brassica napus)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.