Mustard, wild (Brassica kaber (Sinapis arvensis))

Mustard, wild description

Fibrous taproot. Stems are erect, branched near top, 8 to 40 inches tall with coarse to bristly hairs on lower portion. Leaves are oblong to oval with wavy, irregular, blunt-toothed margins and prominent veins. Lower leaves are sometimes lobed and more often coarsely toothed, while upper leaves are progressively smaller and roughly haired to nearly smooth and hairless.

Propagation

Annual. Seeds.

Similar species

Tansymustard. The red-purple coloring on the stems at leaf axils, and hairy stems differentiate wild mustard from canola. Dog mustard is notably different from wild mustard in that its' leaves are lace-like; more divided with scalloped edges. The lower flowers and pods of dog mustard are in the leaf axils. No other mustard has this characteristic.

Distribution

Widespread across the United States.

Identifying Mustard, wild

Seedling

Cotyledons are broad, kidney-shaped, indented at the tip and hairless. First true leaves are alternate, oval to oblong and hairy especially on under veins and leaf edges.

Mature plant

Erect, branched mainly in upper parts, 1 to 3 feet hight at maturity. Stems hairy particularly at the plant base, branches purple at their junction with the main stems.

Leaves alternate, shape varies greatly from oblong to ovate to lanceolate, deeply lobed near the base, with one large lobe at the tip. Leaf edge usually with teeth, especially near the tip. Leaves somewhat hairy particularly on lower mid-veins, lower leaves with stalks, upper ones stalkless.

Root structure description

Taproot.