Stem

Up to 3 ft. tall; multiple stems from crown; branched; lacks hair (glabrous)

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)

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

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

Extension Associated Contacts

Heidi Kratsch

Also of Interest:


*Pruning Cacti And Other Desert Succulents* Pruning is an important part of any landscape maintenance program, including Southwestern desert landscapes. Pruning plants such as cacti, yuccas, agaves and other succulents is simple, but requires some basic plant knowledge. Robinson, M. L., O’Callaghan, A., and Anderson, J. 2016, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, SP-16-01
*Cold-hardy cacti* A list and description of cold-hardy cacti. Fisher, J. 2018, Reno Gazette Journal

Nevada Noxious Weed Field Guide – Syrian beancaper