Sisymbrium officinale
Hedge mustard
(c) Daniel Cahen, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Daniel Cahen · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Sisymbrium officinale (Hedge mustard) is a non-native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by appressed, short pods and stout pedicels.
Hedge mustard is a naturalized perennial found in California's Foothill Provinces in disturbed areas, fields, and pastures at elevations below 2,200 meters. Flowering from April to September, this plant produces small yellow-white flowers about 2.5 to 4 millimeters long. Growing with branched stems 25 to 75 centimeters tall and covered in reflexed hairs, it has a distinctive growth pattern spreading outward. Its basal and lower stem leaves are pinnately lobed with 3 to 4 pairs of lateral lobes, ranging from entire to slightly dentate. The narrow awl-shaped seed pods grow ascending to erect, typically 1 to 1.4 centimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; distinguished by appressed, short pods and stout pedicels
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed areas, fields, pastures
Elevation: < 2200 m
California counties: San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, Monterey, Riverside, San Diego, Ventura, Alameda, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Lake, Orange, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Butte, El Dorado, Santa Barbara, Tulare, Kern, Calaveras, Placer, Madera, Santa Clara, Colusa, Mariposa, Marin, Contra Costa, Nevada, Sonoma, Yuba, Tuolumne, San Benito, Mendocino, Humboldt, Solano, Sutter, Yolo, Napa, Amador, Trinity, Sacramento, Siskiyou, Shasta, Tehama, Glenn, Merced, Stanislaus, Fresno, Kings
Outside California: North America, native to Eurasia
Bloom period
Sisymbrium officinale blooms Apr-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Hirschfeldia: Sisymbrium pods are unsegmented; shortpod has segmented pods with beaded appearance.; vs Brassica: Sisymbrium pod valves have 3 veins; mustard pod valves have 1 vein.; vs Descurainia: Sisymbrium has undivided leaves on stem; tansy mustard has finely dissected feathery leaves.; vs Caulanthus: Sisymbrium petals are flat; jewelflower petals are crinkled or wavy.; vs Mutarda: Sisymbrium has 3-veined pod valves; check pod surface for vein count.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sisymbrium officinale native to California?
No. Sisymbrium officinale is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Sisymbrium officinale bloom?
Sisymbrium officinale blooms Apr-Sep.
Where in California does Sisymbrium officinale grow?
Sisymbrium officinale occurs in San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, Monterey, Riverside, San Diego, Ventura, Alameda and other counties, at elevations of < 2200 m.
What plant family does Sisymbrium officinale belong to?
Sisymbrium officinale is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Sisymbrium.
What habitat does Sisymbrium officinale grow in?
Sisymbrium officinale grows in Disturbed areas, fields, pastures.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · 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.