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Sahara Mustard, Brassica tournefortii

Also known as Asian Mustard, Wild-Turnip, and Tournefort's Cabbage, Brassica tournefortii is an invasive weed that overtakes the territory of the native plants we prize.

Brassica tournefortii starts life with a few fingernail-size leaves, which soon become a cluster. When it reaches maturity, this plant becomes the bully of the wildflower playground, with floppy big leaves that deny light and air to attractive flowers. At the end of the season, the branches dry, leaving desert fields filled with golden stalks that are a nuisance to hikers. The plant's yellow flowers are tiny, and its many seed pods are deadly, spread by wind, rain, hiking boots, and vehicle tires to do further damage the next year.

Tiny Brassica tournefortii leaves

Brassica tournefortii young and innocent

brassica tournefortii's basal leaves grow rapidly over
small native plants, robbing them of light and nutrients

native sand verbena with pinkish flowers struggles for space against the noxious leaves of brassica tournefortii

Last Year's Dried Brassica tournefortii adds gold to a field
while new plants add green

Brassica tournefortii engulfs the Creosote Bush

Brassica tournefortii Does not Make for Good Hiking

Closeup of dead branches of Brassica tournefortii

Brassica tournefortii
Brassicaceae

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