Photo of flixweed plant growing in a disturbed site.

Typical plant growing in disturbed site.

Photo of rosettes on a flixweed plant

Rosettes have finely divided leaves.
 
Green colored leaves that look like ferns
 
The leaves are fern-like in appearance.
 

yellow colored flowers at the top of a flixweed plant

Flowers are tiny, yellow and produce long, slender seed pods.
 
green colored branches with a blue sky background

 

The flowers are arranged in a branched structure. 

All photos by S. donaldson.

 

Other common names

Tansy mustard, herb sophia

Scientific name

Descurinia sophia

Family

Brassicaceae

Description

A bushy, much-branched plant that grows up to 2 or more feet tall, flixweed blooms early in the spring.

  • Leaves

    The leaves are finely divided and hairy. The hairs are branched.

  • Stems

Stems are upright and branched. Plants grow in a rosette (ground-hugging form, see photo to the right) until the flowering stems are growing.

  • Flowers

Tiny and yellow with four petals;arranged in branched structures. Blooms from early spring to summer.

  • Seeds

    Produces narrow seed pods 1/2 to 1 1/4 inches long.

  • Roots

Has a short taproot.

Native to

Europe, naturalized in much of the United States

Where it grows

Gardens, landscaped areas, rangeland, vacant lots, roadsides and other disturbed or unmanaged sites.

Life cycle

Winter annual (sprouts in fall or early winter), summer annual (sprouts in spring or summer), sometimes biennial (flowers and dies in the second year of growth)

Reproduction

Reproduces by seed.

Control methods

Flixweed is a prolific seed‐producer, and can build up a reserve of seed in the soil. The seeds survive for years in the soil. Plants are most easily removed when they are small rosettes (ground‐hugging forms). Control relies on preventing the production of seed.

 

  • Mechanical

    Dig, hoe or pull young plants. Use mechanical control methods prior to formation of flowers and seeds. Mow to prevent flowering and production of seed.

    Cultural

    Plant desirable vegetation to compete with tumble mustard; minimize soil disturbance.

    Biological

    Do not graze. Eating large quantities of flowers can be toxic to livestock, and can result in death.

    Chemical

    Apply broadleaf-selective herbicides on young plants.

References

Angvick, T. and M. Schat. 2009. HPIPM: Flixweed. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health, U. of Georgia, http://wiki.bugwood.org/ HPIPM:Flixweed.

DiTomaso, J.M. and E.A. Healy. 2007. Weeds of California and Other Western States. University of California Publication #3488.

Howard, Janet L. 2003. Descurainia sophia. In: Fire Effects Information System. U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer), http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/forb/dessop/all.html.

UC IPM. 2010. Flixweed, http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/WEEDS/ flixweed.html

Whitson, Tom D. (editor). 2002. Weeds of the West. University of Wyoming, Jackson, Wyoming.

Donaldson, S., Hanson Mazet, W. 2010, A Northern Nevada Homeowner’s Guide to Identifying and Managing Flixweed, Extension | University of Nevada, Reno FS-10-25
Printable    Version    (PDF)

Learn more about the author(s)

Wendy Hanson Mazet
Wendy Hanson Mazet
 

Also of Interest:

 
Field Bindweed - An Attractive Nuisance, and Worse
A pretty plant may still be a weed, and field bindweed is a clear example. This attractive relation of morning glory can invade a landscape, interfering with the growth of desired plants both above and below ground. This fact sheet gives information on avoiding and treating field...
 O'Callaghan, A. and Robinson, M. L. 2020, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno
purslane
"The Good Weed Series: Purslane (Portulaca oleraceav), Desert Gardening in Southern Nevada, Blog Posts 21-01
The Master Gardener Volunteers of Southern Nevada provides horticultural information on gardens, landscapes, plants and other related topics. This blog post is one of many resources of information available to the public to help accomplish this mission.
 Deever, D. 2021, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno
Nevada’s Priority Agricultural Weeds: Russian Knapweed
Russian knapweed (Acroptilon repens) is a non-native perennial forb (wild flower) that arrived in the United States in the late 1890s. This weed is well adapted, growing in damp to poorly drained soils with high salinity and/or alkalinity.
 B. Schultz, S. Foster 2021, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, SP-21-02
bindweed flowers
Field Bindweed - An Attractive Nuisance, and Worse
A pretty plant may still be a weed, and field bindweed is a clear example. This attractive relation of morning glory can invade a landscape, interfering with the growth of desired plants both above and below ground. This fact sheet gives information on avoiding and treating field...
 O'Callaghan, A. and Robinson, M. L. 2020, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, FS-20-33
Austrian fieldcress plant
Nevada Noxious Weed Field Guide – Austrian fieldcress
Austrian fieldcress is a non-native plant that disrupts native vegetation because they have no natural controls and are able to adapt to varied conditions.
 Blecker, L., Creech, E., Dick, J., Gephart, S., Hefner, M., Kratsch, H., Moe, A., Schultz, B. 2020, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, Field Guide
 

Associated Programs

Weed Warriors Invasive Weed Training cb

Weed Warriors Invasive Weed Training

The Weed Warriors program tackles the growing problem of weeds on public and private land.