Key identifying traits
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Leaves are simple and can be
entire to lobed
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It has small, white 4-petal
flowers in clusters on the ends of stalks
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Fruits are in a circular,
2-chambered pod that resembles a fan; each chamber contains 2 or
more seeds
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This plant has a strong odor and
will cause dairy animals eating it to have a bitter-flavored
milk
Biology and ecology
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An annual plant spreading by
seeds
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Plants flower from late spring
well into summer
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It
is a problem in grain fields and also grows in waste areas and
disturbed sites
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Field pennycress is a native of
Europe
-
Usually not considered aggressive but
if ignored can become quite a problem
Control
Prevention –
Learn to identify plants; start monitoring early in the season
Biological –
No known biological control in our area
Cultural –
Plant competitive grass or other cover crop with certified weed free
seed
Mechanical –
Mowing or tilling before plants flower will control this plant but
it produces seed much earlier than crops are harvested
Chemical – Mustards are
resistant to many herbicides but dicamba or metsulfuron can achieve
good control: the
PNW Weed Management handbook has some limited information on
controlling mustards in certain crops
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