CITY AND COUNTY OF BROOMFIELD PARK OPERATIONS
NOXIOUS WEED IDENTIFICATION
HOARY CRESS, Cardaria draba (L.) Desv
Characteristics:
Family: Mustard
Origin: Europe, thought to have been brought to the U.S. as a contaminant in alfalfa seed
Description:
Leaves:
- Grayish green, clasping the stem alternately
- 2 inches long, shaped oval or oblong with smooth and toothed margins. Ends are blunt
- Fine hairs frequently cover leaves
Flowers:
- April to June
- White flowers have heart shaped seeds, containing two tiny oval brown seeds
- Flowers are numerous formed in clusters at the top of the plant
Height:
- 8-18 inches
Locations:
- Ditches, pastures, cultivated fields, and roadsides between elevations of 3, 500 to 8,500 feet