Shepherd's purse.

At a glance

Care level

Easy

Plant type

Annual herb

Light

Full sun to partial shade

Indoor light

Direct sun

Water

Every 3 to 7 days

Mature size

1.5 feet

Growth rate

Fast

Hardiness

USDA 3 to 9

Bloom time

Early spring to late autumn

Care

This plant is quite resilient and typically thrives without any human intervention. Keep an eye out for overcrowding if you are letting it grow in a garden bed. It prefers cool weather and will often go to seed quickly once temperatures rise.

Watering

Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged for best growth.

Feeding

This plant generally does not require supplemental fertilizer.

Pruning

Remove spent flower stalks if you want to prevent it from spreading seeds.

Repotting

As an annual, this plant completes its life cycle in one season and does not need repotting.

Soil

Well draining soil

Soil pH

6.0 to 7.5

Temperature

-15 to 30°C

Humidity

40 to 80%

Drought tolerance

Moderate

Safety

People

This plant is generally considered non-toxic to humans.

Children

The small seed pods could pose a minor choking hazard if ingested in large quantities by small children.

Contact allergens

Some individuals may experience mild skin irritation from handling the foliage.

Airborne allergens

The pollen can cause mild respiratory irritation in sensitive individuals.

Edibility

While the leaves are edible, avoid harvesting from areas treated with herbicides or polluted soil as this plant readily accumulates contaminants.

How to identify it

• Heart shaped flat seed pods
• Basal rosette of lobed leaves
• Small white four petaled flowers
• Slender upright flowering stems

Height

0.1 to 0.5m

Spread

0.05 to 0.2m

Leaves

green, blue-green, deciduous

Flowers

white, 0.2 to 0.4cm

Fruit

green, brown, Spring to autumn

Problems to watch for

• AphidsCommon
• Downy MildewCommon
• Flea BeetlesUncommon
• White RustUncommon

Growing it

Propagation

seed

When to plant

spring, autumn

Because it is a prolific self-seeder, keep it away from areas where you want a permanent, non-weedy landscape.

Grows well with

• Lettuce · They share similar moisture needs in early spring.
• Radish · Both are fast growing members of the same family.

Similar species

• Field Pennycress · It has similar white flowers and is also a common agricultural weed.

Science

Family

Brassicaceae

Genus

Capsella

Order

Brassicales

Class

Magnoliopsida

Native range

Europe and parts of Western Asia, now naturalized globally.

Conservation

This plant is a widespread, common weed and is not of conservation concern.

It thrives in disturbed soil and open areas, quickly colonizing bare ground through prolific seed production.

Value to wildlife

nectar source, early season forage

Pollinators

bees, butterflies, beetles

Uses

culinary greens, traditional herbal medicine, wildlife forage

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Is shepherd's purse a weed?

Yes, it is widely considered a common garden and agricultural weed.

Can I eat it?

Yes, the young leaves are edible and have a peppery taste similar to arugula.

Where the name comes from

The name Capsella bursa-pastoris translates to little box of the shepherd's purse, referring to the shape of the seed pods.

Good to know

• Shepherd's purse is one of the most widely distributed plants in the world.
• The plant can produce multiple generations of seeds in a single growing season.
• It is a member of the Brassicaceae family, making it a relative of mustard and cabbage.
• The seeds can remain viable in the soil for several years.