Hoary alyssum
June 11, 2015
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EmailBerteroa incana (L.) DC. Brassicaceae (Mustard family)
Life cycle
Annual, biennial or short-lived perennial.
Hoary alyssum flowering plant.
Leaves
Seedling leaves initially develop from a basal rosette. Basal leaves are hairy, oblong and up to 3 inches long with smooth to slightly wavy margins and long stalks. Stem leaves are similar but smaller and alternate and gradually become stalkless. Leaves are covered with gray, star-shaped hairs that result in a grayish green appearance.
Hoary alyssum seedling.
Stems
Erect, stiff, up to 4-foot-tall stems bolt from a basal rosette to flower. Up to 10 stems may form per taproot with many branches near the top. Stems are covered with gray, star-shaped hairs that result in a grayish green appearance.
Flowers and fruit
Numerous white flowers with four petals so deeply divided that they resemble eight petals are found in elongated clusters. Fruit are hairy, oval and slightly flattened, grayish green seed pods with a short beak on the end. Seed pods are usually held close to the stems and yield oblong, rough and narrowly winged, grayish to reddish brown seeds.
Hoary alyssum flowers (left) and seed pods (right).
Reproduction
Seeds and root crowns.
Gray, star-shaped hairs.
Toxicity
Plant parts can be toxic to horses.
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