Wild mustard is one of several species of plant in the genus Brassica kaber and is considered a weed that is most commonly found growing primarily in nurseries throughout the United States. Wild mustard is normally a winter annual but can be a summer annual in both cases with a common characteristic of having yellow flowers. The seeds produced from the mustard weed are used as a spice, and when ground and combined with other ingredients produce one of the favored food condiments known as mustard.
Wild mustard grows usually to heights of 1-3 inches and branches occasionally. The stems of the weed are covered abundantly with long, downward pointing white hairs. The leaves of wild mustard can be found in all sorts of shapes, however, they are traditionally ovate and some of the leaves can been seen clinging to the stems and are usually toothed or combed. The underneath of the leaves, like the stems, are covered with downward pointing hairs. The upper portion of the stem transcends into the typical yellow mustard flowers with each flower having four petals, six stamens and one green pistil middle. The flowers commonly bloom in the spring but can be found blooming into late fall. Mustard can bloom for two months in length, typically winter annual mustards bloom earlier than the summer annuals. As the weed’s flowers mature, they eventually fall off leaving behind a seedpod. The seeds are tiny and dark brown, almost black in color. Wild mustard plants reproduce by dropping their seeds which are spread via wind and other elements. Each mustard weed can produce anywhere from 2,000 to 3,500 seeds that remain viable in the soil they fall into for many years.
Wild mustard can commonly be distinguished from other mustard weeds by its unique purple colored rings that form at the point where its stems meet. Typically the beautiful yellow flowers of the wild mustard weed are much larger and tend to be showy compared to the flowers of other mustards. Another distinguishing characteristic is that most other mustard weeds’ stems are without hair.
Wild mustard can be found growing along roadsides, among crops as mentioned above, at some lower elevations of coastal regions and within interior grasslands. Wild mustard is considered to be a devastatingly invasive species. In some cases it has been known to invade crops and disturbed areas. Wild mustard also has been known to do enough damage where crop yields are reduced, lowering the crop value, and it also can reduce the amount of livestock foraging.
