Bastard Cabbage (Rapistrun Rugosum)

 

This invasive species has made its way into Texas over the past few years and is spreading like crazy/ Fields and roadsides are covered with this 1-5 ft. tall mass of yellow flowers. Other names are Wild Mustard ,Wild Turnipweed. It is a member of the Mustard family.
 It is believed it made its way into North American in  grass seeds, but no one knows for sure. Lots of study is being done to eradicate this pesky plant. It has a basil leaf bottom covering the ground and growing tall, branching out and blocking sunlight from our native wildflower seeds. It is an annual herb and has a very strong and deep taproot. People are being asked to pull up the plants with the tap roots before they go to seed and burn them or dispose of so that they don't spread.
 Many areas of bluebonnets are completely gone being smothered out by this plant,  as well as other wildflowers.
 We made a trip to the Dallas area for Easter weekend and it was all along the roadsides and in fileds with no other flowers.Lots of research being done, hopefully it can be controlled.

"Another parable put HE forth unto them, saying, The Kingdom of Heaven is like to a grain of  mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field."

Matthew 13:31