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Descurainia, Genus, sophia, Species,

Genus & species

flixweed

Brassicaceae

Europe, North Africa, and western Asia

Attracts Pollinators Drought Tolerant

SunFull Sun

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

Overview

A slender annual or winter annual growing 1–3 feet (30–90 cm) tall, with an upright, branching stem. Leaves are alternate, two to three times divided into narrow segments, 1–4 inches (2.5–10 cm) long, giving a feathery, finely dissected appearance, and gray-green with short hairs. Tiny pale yellow four-petaled flowers, under 0.1 inch (2–3 mm) across, open in elongating clusters at the branch tips. Bloom occurs from April to July. Each flower is followed by a narrow, curved seed pod 0.5–1.5 inches (1.3–4 cm) long held upright along the stem, containing many small orange-brown seeds. The plant germinates in fall or early spring, completes its cycle in one season, and dies after seed set. A single plant can produce tens of thousands of seeds. It grows quickly in disturbed, dry soils and is widely naturalized outside its native range.

Native Range

Native to Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. Widely naturalized across North America, where it grows in disturbed ground, fields, rangeland, roadsides, and croplands on dry, open soils in full sun. It is treated as a weed in many agricultural regions.

Suggested Uses

Not grown as an ornamental; it appears as a volunteer weed in fields, gardens, and disturbed sites. The early flowers supply pollen and nectar to small bees, and the seeds are eaten by birds. It is managed as a weed rather than planted.

How to Identify

Recognized by feathery, finely dissected gray-green leaves, tiny pale yellow flowers, and narrow upright seed pods 0.5–1.5 inches (1.3–4 cm) long pressed close to the stem. The plant has a slender, much-branched form. Distinguished from related mustards by its very finely divided leaves and small flowers.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 3'

Width/Spread6" - 1'6"

Colors

Flower Colors

yellow

Foliage Colors

gray green

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks

Flowers: April–July

Spring Summer

Flowers from April to July, beginning in early spring from fall-germinated plants. Bloom continues for 4–8 weeks as the flowering clusters elongate and set pods from the base upward. Hot, dry weather ends flowering and ripens the pods.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

Gray-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 8.0 (Neutral to alkaline)

3579

Soil Types

loam sand clay

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun in dry, well-drained, often disturbed soils, and needs no cultivation to persist. It germinates with fall or spring moisture and is drought-tolerant once established. The plant spreads rapidly by abundant seed and colonizes bare ground. Seedlings emerge in dense stands in tilled or overgrazed soil. It can accumulate nitrates and may be toxic to livestock when eaten in quantity. Removing plants before the pods ripen is the main way to reduce its spread.

Pruning

No ornamental pruning applies to this weedy annual. Plants can be pulled or cut before the pods ripen to limit seed set. Cut plants do not regrow once flowering. Early removal prevents seeding into surrounding ground.