Stem

Up to 3 ft. tall and branched; upper stem lacks hair (glabrous); lower stem covered with stiff, downward-pointing hairs.

Photo of three tan colored iberian starthistle seeds

Photo of Iberian starthistle seeds

Leaves

Rosette leaves up to 12 in. long and pinnate-divided with 6-14 pairs of leaflets; edges (margins) are toothed.
Stems have very few leaves; typically small and oval to strap-like (linear) with toothed to lobed edges.

Photo of green Iberian starthistle rosette growing from the ground.

Photo of Iberian starthistle rosette

Flower

Small (less than 0.6 in. wide) and yellow with four petals.
Seed pods are round, slender and 1.5-2.5 in. long; the end tapers to a point; contain numerous round seeds; pod constricts around seeds (appears beaded).

Root

Deep, slender taproot

Photo of iberian starthistle weeds with pink and white flowers

Other

Grows best in sites with dry, sandy soils and sparse vegetation; often infests roadsides, waste areas, washes and desert areas; known to occur in Clark, Lincoln and Nye counties.
Annual; reproduces by seed
Also known as Sahara mustard

Control

Repeated hand-removal can be effective; disturbances such as fire, tillage and grazing often promote mustard growth.
Apply 2,4-D, glyphosate or triclopyr post-emergence; chlorsulfuron or imazapic pre- or post emergence.

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

Learn more about the author(s)

Heidi Kratsch

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Nevada Noxious Weed Field Guide – Iberian starthistle