Blecker, L., Creech, E., Dick, J., Gephart, S., Hefner, M., Kratsch, H., Moe, A., Schultz, B. 2020, Nevada Noxious Weed Field Guide – Common crupina, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, Field Guide

Stem

Up to 3 ft. tall and branched with lengthwise ridges along stem

Leaves

Cotyledons are oblong, fleshy and hairless, often with a purplish midvein; rosette leaves are oval to lance-shaped with smooth, toothed or lobed edges (margins)
Stem leaves are alternate and deeply pinnate-lobed; lower leaves are larger than upper leaves; edges are covered with short, stiff hairs

Common crupina rosette

Flower

Pink or purple; occur in clusters of 1-5 at the tips of branches; base of flower is vase-shaped and narrow, 3 to 4 times longer than wide

Common crupina flower

Root

Fibrous

Common crupina stem

Other

Grows well under a wide range of environmental and soil conditions; often found in rangeland, pastures, waste areas, roadsides and along waterways; no known occurences in Nevada
Annual; reproduces by seed;
Listed on the Federal Noxious Weed List

Control

Grazing or mowing can increase branching and seed production and are NOT effective
Apply 2,4-D, dicamba or picloram to actively growing plants prior to flowering; aminocyclopyrachlor, aminopyralid, chlorsulfuron, clopyralid or metsulfuron pre or post-emergence

Learn more about the author(s)

Heidi Kratsch

Also of Interest:

Nevada Noxious Weed Field Guide – Common crupina