Plant · GBIF taxon 5376648
Virginia pepperweed
Lepidium virginicumAlso known as Least Pepperwort, Poorman's Pepper, Virginia Peppergrass, Wild Peppergrass
Virginia pepperweed springs up in sunny disturbed soils, producing tiny four-petaled white flowers along elongated racemes that mature into flat, disk-shaped seed pods. The small orbicular seed pods release a distinct peppery aroma when crushed, giving rise to its common moniker. It serves as a vital larval host plant for several native butterfly species across North America.
HerbaceousWildflowerNative
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Sunlight
- Nitrogen-rich soil
- Water
Predators
- Cabbage white butterfly larvae
- Cottontail rabbits
- White-tailed deer
ThreatsHerbicides, intense land development
HabitatsDisturbed ground, fields, roadsides, waste places
Life spanAnnual or biennial
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderBrassicales
- FamilyBrassicaceae
- GenusLepidium
- SpeciesLepidium virginicum
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Wild plants have toxic look-alikes; never eat based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
- Identification: Look for tiny four-petaled white flowers maturing into small, flat, notched circular seed pods along tall racemes.
- Habitat Spotting: Search for colonies in sunny fields, garden edges, and rocky roadside ditches throughout spring and summer.
Host Caterpillar John Tann from Sydney, Australia / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
Habitat Competitor (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Radio Tonreg, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Mustard Family Relative (c) Joss Carr, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Joss Carr · cc-by
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