Shepherd's Purse

(Capsella bursa-pastoris)

 

Color drawing: C. A. M. Lindman (1901-1905), Bilder ur Nordens Flora.

Line Drawing: Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada, Second Edition.

 

Shepherd's Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)

Alien: Native of Europe.

Identification: Flowers small, white. Seed pods flat, heart-shaped, notched at the tip, and located on short stalks. Basal leaves dandelionlike and located in a basal rosette. Stem leaves elongate, spear-shaped, with two basal projections clasping the stem. Plant 8 inches to 2 feet in height.

Distribution: Throughout North America.

Habitat: This species is found in a wide variety of disturbed habitats including lawns, fields, and roadsides.

Flowering period: April to September.

Shepherd's Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)

Similar Species:

The basal rosette of dandelionlike leaves will separate this species from similar species of the genera Lepidium and Thlaspi.

Similar Species

No Similar Species