Seasonal Wild Flowers

Eastern Rocket

Sisymbrium orientale

Brassicaceae

March to December

Found patchily throughout the country, but it is less common

in the far North.

For a map see the National Biodiversity Network Gateway

Eastern Rocket is a neophyte which was first cultivated in the

UK in the late 1730s.

It has been known in the wild since the 1850s, and is found on

waste-ground and beside roads.

I have usually seen it growing in the crack formed between the

base of a wall and pavement.

It is on the increase.

Eastern Rocket is a sprawling, annual herb, growing up to 80cm.

Flowers are up to 9mm, yellow with 4 separated petals, which

are longer than the sepals.

There are 6 stamens with yellow anthers.

There is a long style with a large, slightly bilobed stigma.

Upper leaves are only slightly lobed, but lower leaves have

a long, rocket-shaped terminal lobe with 2 fin-shaped lobes

on either side at the base.

The seed pods (siliquae) are up to 10cm long and not closely

aligned with the stem.

Eastern Rocket at the base of a wall

Flower and pod with short style

Rocket-shaped, lobed leaf

Long seed pods