Yellowcress

Rorippa spp.

USDA, NRCS. 2018. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 28 March 2018). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.
Illustration: USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York. Vol. 2: 160 & 162.

What is Yellowcress?

Physical Characteristics

Leaves:

• Elongated
• Sword or oval shaped
• Edges serrated

Flowers:

• Petals oval shaped
• Petals longer than the sepals

Fruit:

• Dry
• Curving upward
• Many seeded

Seeds:

• Angled
• Plump

Stem:

• Upright
• Creeping rhizomes
• Fleshy
• Branching

Where Does it Grow?

Yellowcress can be found on wetlands, riverbanks, and along the edges of streams.

Pros and Cons of Yellowcress

Submerged portions of all aquatic plants provide habitats for many micro and macro invertebrates. These invertebrates in turn are used as food by fish and other wildlife species (e.g. amphibians, reptiles, ducks, etc.). After aquatic plants die, their decomposition by bacteria and fungi provides food (called “detritus”) for many aquatic invertebrates.

What Type of Yellowcress Do I Have?

There are two common types on yellowcress in North America. Click on the buttons to learn more about each species.