How to Plant and Grow Wasabi

I remember the first time I had a bit of real wasabi. Unlike the neon green stuff I was so familiar with, it had an herbal complexity that I was totally unprepared for. It was, as they say, a revelation.

If you’ve never tasted real wasabi before, you’re in for a treat. The delicious edible leaves, stems, and flowers are just a special bonus, and one that is nearly impossible to find in stores in the US.

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It’s a good thing this herbaceous wonder is so incredibly tasty, because it’s a bit demanding in terms of the environmental conditions it requires to grow well.

You either really have to love wasabi or you have to love a gardening challenge if you plan on growing this marvel.

That’s not to scare you off. In the right climate, it’s actually not as difficult as its reputation suggests. If you’re giving it a go in, say, New Mexico, you have to prepare yourself for some work. But the rewards are oh-so worth it. No pain, no gain, right?!

If I haven’t sent you running for the hills, let’s get started on our adventure. Here’s what we’re going to talk about:

In reality, it’s not the plants themselves that are difficult to grow if you don’t mind keeping them in containers.

If you can make mustard or horseradish thrive, this plant isn’t much different, and you’ll be drowning in tasty leaves and stems. But growing a magnificent rhizome worth dabbing on the finest fish? That’s a bit more challenging.

We’ll walk you through it.

Wasabi (Eutrema japonicum syn. E. japonica, Wasabia japonica) is a member of the brassica family, Brassicaceae, and it is closely related to