London rocket

Sisymbrium irio rosette — rosette

L Landrum

Common Name(s)

London rocket

Rocket mustard

Tumble mustard

Scientific Name

Sisymbrium irio

Family

Mustard family (Brassicaceae)

Reasons for concern

London rocket is highly competitive and outcompetes native species, decreasing biodiversity. It recovers quickly after fires, so native plants don’t even have a chance to recover after a fire disturbance.

Classification

Non-native

Botanical description

Erect broadleaf annual herb grows up to 3 feet tall at maturity

Leaves

Up to 6 inch basal rosette leaves with a central vein, alternating deeply lobed leaves on main stems up to 8 inches long with a pointed terminal lobe

Stem(s)

Up to 3 feet with several branches near the bottom

Inflorescence

Pale yellow round terminal clusters with 4 leaves and ⅛ inches in length

Fruit

Slender, linear green pod ½-1 inch long and less than 1/16 inch wide

Native to

Mediterranean

Where it grows

Disturbed areas like roadsides, lots, and gardens, and irrigated fields

Lifecycle

Annual

Reproduction

By seed

Weedy Characteristics

London rocket can produce thousands of seeds per plant. These seeds can survive up to 10 years.

Control Strategies

Manual removal is most effective when the plant is young, during the basal rosette stage. Repeat mowing is effective before the plants go to seed. Herbicides like glyphosate are most effective when used on young plants.

Gallery

References