Stem

  • Up to 3 ft. tall; multiple stems from crown; branched; lacks hair (glabrous)
Photo of Syrian beancaper

Leaves

  • Opposite; compound with 2 opposite leaflets; leaflets oblong, 0.5-1.5 in. long, thick, waxy and lack hair (glabrous) with smooth edges (margins)
Photo of Syrian beancaper

Flower

  • 5 petals, white to cream colored with a pink or orange tinge; each on short stalks at upper leaf axils
  • Pods cylindrical, 1-1.5 in. long and 5-sided with small wings; thread-like projection extends from tip; 5 chambers, each containing 1 seed
Photo of Syrian beancaper plant

Root

  • Deep, woody taproot with creeping roots
 

Other

  • Often infests rangeland, roadsides and desert areas; not known to occur in Nevada
  • Perennial; reproduces by seed and creeping roots
 

Control

  • Cultivation and hand-removal often unsuccessful due to remaining root fragments that can generate new plants
  • Apply glyphosate, imazapic, metsulfuron or picloram from bud stage until fall
Becker, L., Creech, E., Dick, J., Gephart, S., Hefner, M., Kratsch, H., Moe, A., Schultz, B. 2020, Nevada Noxious Weed Field Guide – Syrian beancaper, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, Field Guide

Learn more about the author(s)

Heidi Kratsch
Heidi Kratsch
 

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