Hedge Mustard, Sisymbrium officinale

Common Name: Hedge Mustard

Sisymbrium officinale, more commonly known as Hedge Mustard, is an annual or short-lived perennial, medium to tall plant with spreading branches. Lower leaves deeply pinnately lobed, with a large terminal lobe. The flowers are pale yellow, small-ish, about 3 mm in diameter.

Seed-pods long, without beak, splitting into 2 valves with one row of seeds in each valve; appressed to stem (i.e folded up to lie alongside stem). Found in waste places, roadsides, occasionally on arable land, May to September. Fairly common throughout much of Britain though scarcer in central and northern Scotland.

https://www.uknature.co.uk is a website dedicated to showing the immense diversity of UK nature and wildlife. Our vast range of habitats, from lowland arable to snow covered mountains, from storm-ravaged coastlines to peaceful inland freshwater lakes and rivers, from dry, sandy heaths to deciduous and coniferous forests, all these habitats contribute to the abundance of UK nature. We have wild birds in huge numbers either residing or visiting our shores (597 recorded species as at July 2013) and we must also not forget the humble back garden with its grass lawns, flower beds filled with nectar rich flowers, shrubs and trees, all designed to attract huge numbers of insects such as bees, moths, butterflies and hoverflies; and finally the small ponds which provide safe havens for frogs, toads, newts and even slow worms and grass snakes. www.uknature.co.uk is the showcase for my personal passion, photographing uknature in all its glory. I sincerely hope you all enjoy the fruits of my labours.