Brassica fruticulosa
Mediterranean cabbage
(c) Jon Sullivan, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Brassica fruticulosa (Mediterranean cabbage) is a non-native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by perennial habit and strongly narrowed fruits between seeds.
Mediterranean cabbage is a naturalized herb found in southern coastal California in disturbed areas and fields at elevations below 300 meters. Flowering from December to March, this plant produces yellow to white flowers 7 to 15 millimeters long with petals 3 to 4 millimeters wide. Growing with branched stems 30 to 90 centimeters tall, it develops as a glabrous annual or perennial herb with multiple branches. Its leaves are pinnately lobed with 1 to 3 lateral lobe pairs, basal leaves up to 10 centimeters long and early-deciduous, while cauline leaves are petioled and dentate to lobed. The fruit develops as a slender, cylindric pod 15 to 30 millimeters long that narrows between seeds, with a terminal segment 3 to 6 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; key features are perennial habit and strongly narrowed fruits between seeds
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Disturbed areas, fields
Elevation: < 300 m
Outside California: native to southwestern Europe, northwestern Africa
Bloom period
Brassica fruticulosa blooms Dec-Mar.
How to tell it apart
vs Hirschfeldia: Brassica pods angle outward with faint veining; Hirschfeldia pods press tight against the stem with prominent ribs.; vs Sisymbrium: Brassica has large showy flowers with petals 8-30mm; Sisymbrium has smaller, less conspicuous flowers.; vs Lactuca: Brassica has four-petaled yellow flowers and seed pods; Lactuca has ray flowers like a dandelion and milky sap.; vs Crambe: Brassica pods split open to release many seeds; Crambe produces single-seeded round fruits that don't split.
Frequently asked questions
Is Brassica fruticulosa native to California?
No. Brassica fruticulosa is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Brassica fruticulosa bloom?
Brassica fruticulosa blooms Dec-Mar.
What plant family does Brassica fruticulosa belong to?
Brassica fruticulosa is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Brassica.
What habitat does Brassica fruticulosa grow in?
Brassica fruticulosa grows in Uncommon. Disturbed areas, fields.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.