Peppergrass Grows Tall in Forgotten Fields

Early spring flowering plants include members of the broad category of roadside weeds. A lot of the time their posies aren’t recognized as “wildflowers” because of their small size.

Most of us wouldn’t take a second glance at them, but when they grow and multiply and bloom en masse they can be beautiful.

Eye of the beholder aside, you might have to get up close and personal to see what I’m talking about.

Take for instance the weedy Field Peppergrass, Lepidium campestre, which is alien to North America and a member of the Mustard Family.

On an early Spring trip to Little Buffalo State Park to see what was blooming, we drove up to the campground to check it out. As I suspected

nothing was going on. No spring beauties or anything else was blooming near the top of this hillside.

I thought it might be too early for anything to be blooming, but then I saw the light green weeds. They were growing in a parking area that was surrounded by trees. The sky was open to the south and that provided all the warmth and light that these early bloomers needed to get going.

From a distance the light green color told me the plants were actively growing and probably blooming, too. Getting closer the white blooms could be seen everywhere in this large cluster of plants.

A mass of field peppergrass blooming in a parking area near the campground.
A mass of field peppergrass blooming in a parking area near the campground.
Tiny white flowers populate the tops of field peppergrass stems.
Tiny white flowers populate the tops of field peppergrass stems.
Start with the miniature white flowers and trace down the stem to the ground where you'll see the small basal leaves.
Start with the miniature white flowers and trace down the stem to the ground where you’ll see the small basal leaves.

Field peppergrass has leaves at the base of the plant, called basal leaves, that have relatively long stems and an oval shape. Smaller leaves that clasp the stem alternate up the stem up to the terminal flower cluster. As the plant matures small flower clusters will appear in the stem leaf axils.

Light yellow stamens can be seen inside the small flowers that bloom in clusters at the top of the plant. Note the formation of seed pods has started.
Light yellow stamens can be seen inside the small flowers that bloom in clusters at the top of the plant. Note the formation of seed pods has started.
By the 6th of May dandelions can be seen coming up through this mass of peppergrass, which is looking very weedy.
By the 6th of May dandelions can be seen coming up through this mass of peppergrass, which is looking very weedy.
The flowering stem lengthens as the seedpods develop into flattened balloon shapes.
The flowering stem lengthens as the seedpods develop into flattened balloon shapes.

Fertilized flowers lose their petals and swell to develop the seeds which are held in roundish pods. The pods are somewhat flattened from side-to-side and have a central suture line that extends from the tip of the pod to the flower stem.

The shape of the seed pod helps to identify the plant to the species level.
The shape of the seed pod helps to identify the plant to the species level.
Note the small "wings" on the side of the seedpods and the rounded tip.
Note the small “wings” on the side of the seedpods and the rounded tip.
Side view of field peppergrass shows the seed pods held straight out to the sides of the plant and the cluster of flowers at the top.
Side view of field peppergrass shows the seed pods held straight out to the sides of the plant and the cluster of flowers at the top.

Seed pod photos taken on 6 May 2014.
Early flower photos taken on 18 April 2014.

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