Brassicaceae

Mustard Family

Family Description

The mustard family is a group of dicotyledonous annual, biennial and short-lived perennial herbs with watery sap consisting of approximately 350 genera and 3200 species. Distribution is worldwide, with many species found in alpine habitats. Leaves are usually simple, without stipules and with alternate arrangement. The 4-merous flowers are bisexual with regular symmetry and borne in a terminal raceme or corymb. Colors are primarily in shades of yellow and orange and produced in the spring. The fruit is a 2-valved capsule; silique is an elongated capsule; silicle is a round, coin-shaped capsule.

The most characteristic features of the family are:

• the usually yellow, 4-merous, cross-shaped flowers
• the characteristic fruit pods

Plants in this family are considered easy to grow. They are best grown in full sun, and if annual, planted during the cool part of the year. Propagation is primarily by seed. Seeds germinate readily; however, cool temperatures in the 50-65°F range are preferred. Common pests associated with this family are few; however, lepidopteran insects may be bothersome. Cole-crop vegetable crops such as broccoli, cabbage and kale belong here.

Important garden genera in this family include Aethionema, Alyssoides, Alyssum, Anastatica, Arabidopsis, Arabis, Armoracia, Aubrieta, Aurinia, Barbarea, Berteroa, Biscutella, Brassica, Bunias, Cardamine, Cheiranthus, Cochlearis, Crambe, Dentaria, Diplotaxis, Dithyrea, Draba, Eruca, Erysimum, Fibigia, Hesperis, Hugueninia, Hutchinsia, Iberis, Ionopsidium, Isatis, Kernera, Lesquerella, Lobularia, Lunaria, Matthiola, Petrocallis, Physaria, Schivereckia, Schizopetalon, Sisymbrium, Smelowskia, Stanleya, Thlaspi, and Thysanocarpus.

Representative Species

LSU Horticulture Department Julian C. Miller Hall Baton Rouge, LA 70803 225.578.2158