Shepherd's-purse

Capsella bursa-pastoris

Weed Description
Erect winter annual or biennial found in the entire Northwestern hemisphere invading cultivated areas, fields, pastures, roadsides, gardens, lawns, and waste sites. Shepherd's purse is native to sourthern Europe.

Seedlings
Hypocotyl light green to purple. Cotyledons are broadly spatulate in shape.

Leaves
Base of the plant is a basal rosette and is deeply toothed, then alternating leaves above, measuring 4-12cm in length and 1-3cm in width. Leaves are smooth or hairy and variously toothed or has small lobes extending beyond the stem.

Stems
Erect and slender covered with gray hairs and are normally unbranched.

Flowers
Are produced on an unbranched and indeterminate arrangement from spring to early summer and on some occasions late autumn. Flowers are small and difficult to see with the untrained eye and are white and green.

Fruit
Triangular to heart-shaped, two parted, and in a flattened pod.

Roots
Fibrous root system from a taproot that is slender and often branching.

Identifying Characteristics
Shepherd's purse is erect and has a rosette at the base with deeply toothed margins with smooth or hairy leaves. Identifying characteristics of shepherd's purse are triangular or heart-shaped seedpods.

Trouble identifying a weed?

For additional assistance identifying weeds, contact Dr. Kevin Braldly, State Extension Weed Scientist (bradleyke@missouri.edu).

Office of Programs

University of Missouri

Shepherd's-purse

Capsella bursa-pastoris

Trouble identifying a weed?