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Capsella bursa-pastoris
Cultivation Notes
This article was provided care of 'Plants For A Future'
| Latin Name: | Capsella bursa-pastoris |
| Common Name: | Shepherd's purse |
| Family: | Cruciferae |
| Synonyms: | Thlaspi bursa-pastoris. |
| Known Hazards: | None known |
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Author: (L.)Medik.
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| Habit: Annual |
| Habitat: Arable land, gardens, waste places etc, it is a common weed of cultivated soil[9, 17]. |
| Height: 0.3 Width: 0.1 |
Cultivation Details:
Plants flourish in most soils[17]. They will grow even in the poorest of soils, though in such a situation the plants might only reach a few centimetres tall before they flower and set seed[4]. In rich soils plants will take longer to go to seed and will grow up to 60cm tall[4].
Shepherd's purse is a very common garden weed that can spread freely in cultivated ground. It is usually in flower and producing seed in all months of the year. This species is a prime example of how a plant can be viewed as an annoying weed in some areas of the world whilst in others it is actually cultivated for its wide range of uses[4, 183]. In Japan it is one of the essential ingredients of a ceremonial rice and barley gruel that is eaten on January 7th[183]. The leaves grow rather larger under cultivation, they can be harvested about a month after sowing and can be treated as a cut and come again crop[206]. They do run to seed fairly rapidly, however, especially in hot dry weather or when in poor soils[206, K].
A member of the cabbage family, it is a host plant for many diseases of Brassicas[200].
Birds are very fond of the seeds of shepherd's purse[201].
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Propagation Notes:
Seed - sow in situ February to May. Seed can also be sown as late as mid autumn[206]. The plant does not normally need any help to maintain itself[K].
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