Flixweed
(Descurainia sophia)

Overview

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Flixweed is an annual, winter annual or biennial, seed-propagated weed with a taproot. The plant is slightly poisonous to livestock if flowers are consumed in large quantities. Flixweed is considered to be among one of many weeds in Canada that can cause fairly significant crop yield and quality losses.

Main description

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Seedling
The cotyledon of flixweed is elongated with tiny hairs. The first leaf pair grow opposite one another while remaining leaves alternate. The leaves are either single or double lobed.

Mature plant
The plant is erect with branching in the upper region. Leaves are alternate, sessile and covered in small hairs. They are linear or broadly oval in shape. Flowering takes place in late spring, resulting in yellow to white flowers with four petals. Mature plants range from 20-60 cm in height.

Optimal growth conditions

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The weed, Descurainia Sophia, can grow in a wide variety of conditions such as loam, clay or sandy soils, were it is most common. It can survive in dry soils but is less tolerant to high salinity. The weed is troublesome in cultivated lands, grain fields, canola fields and disturbed areas.