Ontario Weeds: Wild radish

Table of Contents

1. Name
2. Other Names
3. Family
4. General Description
   • Photos and Pictures
5. Stems and Roots
6. Leaves
7. Flowers and Fruit
8. Habitat
9. Similar Species
10. Related Links

Name: Wild radish, Raphanus raphanistrum L.,

Other Names: jointed charlock, Jointed radish, Jointed wild radish, radis sauvage, ravenelle

Family: Mustard Family (Cruciferae)

General Description: Annual, reproducing only by seed.

Photos and Pictures

Wild radish. Lower portion of a plant in flower, and a portion of the inflorescence with developing seedpods.

Stems & Roots: Stems either smooth or with short, bristly hairs, arising from a stout taproot to a height of 20-80cm (8-32in.).

Leaves: Lower leaves obovate-oblong, 5-20cm (2-8in.), pinnately lobed into 5 to 15 oblong segments; segments nearer the stem very small, those further out progressively larger; the upper leaves reduced.

Flowers & Fruit: Petals usually white with violet veins, or occasionally yellow or purple-violet, 10-20mm (2/5-4/5in.) long; seedpods (siliques) nearly cylindric when fresh, but when dry becoming several-ribbed lengthwise and prominently constricted between the seeds such that the 1- to 10-seeded pods somewhat resemble beads on a string; the seed-bearing portion 2-4cm (4/5-1 1/2in.) long and 3-6mm (1/8-¼in.) thick, and tipped with a seedless beak 1-3cm (2/5-1¼in.) long. Flowers from June to October.

Habitat: Wild radish occurs in scattered localities in southern and eastern Ontario in fields, waste places and roadsides.

Similar Species: It is distinguished by its lower leaves being deeply parted, its usually white petals being conspicuously violet-veined, and its characteristic "string-of-beads" seedpods with long, seedless beaks.

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Related Links

... on general Weed topics
... on weed identification, order OMAFRA Publication 505: Ontario Weeds
... on weed control, order OMAFRA Publication 75: Guide To Weed Control

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