Perennial Pepperweed
Lepidium latifolium
Description
Also called tall whitetop. Height to 5 ft. White flowers with 4 petals; flat clusters at the tip of each stem; Flowers June to September. Leaves are grayish, small, and oblong.
Habitat
Infests riverbanks, floodplains, and marshes; also meadows, rangelands, and roadsides.
Location in Nebraska
Identified a few counties in Nebraska—particularly in the Southwest and Panhandle.
Pathway of Introduction and Spread
Originally from Eurasia, introduced via seed mixes. Was used as a cut flower in arrangements. Spread by agricultural equipment, wildlife, and humans. Reproduces prolifically by seed, dispersed by many species of birds. It also expands through root suckering.
Impacts
Brings salt from deep in the soil to the surface. Grows into dense colonies which reduces habitat for wildlife. Competes with native vegetation.
Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Joseph M. DiTomaso, University of California – Davis, Bugwood.org