White mustard is an annual, growing to 70 centimetres (28 in) high with stalkless pinnate leaves, similar to Sinapis arvensis.

[2] Sinapis alba is a long day plant, [3] which means they flower when the amount of light received exceeds their critical photoperiod.

Pollen from S. alpa is able to be dispersed through wind and insect pollinators, such as wild bees, bumblebees, and flower flies.

[13] White mustard is commonly used as a cover and green manure crop in Europe (between the UK and Ukraine).

A large number of varieties exist,[14][15] mainly differing in lateness of flowering and resistance against white beet-cyst nematode (Heterodera schachtii).

Farmers generally prefer late-flowering varieties that do not produce seeds which may develop into weeds in the subsequent year's crop rotation.

More applications of white mustard include being used as a binding agent in meat processing, a lubricant for lighting, and in traditional medicine for its antiviral properties.