London Rocket is a member of the mustard family and is sometimes referred to as desert mustard. It is one of the earliest plants to emerge in the spring and one of the first to flower.
Identifying the plant at this time of year is not too hard because there are not many other weeds coming up. The flowers on the seed stock are yellow in color and the leaves are deeply notched in a rosette pattern around the base of the plant. Using a plant identification app, an internet search, or a book on common weeds will help you accurately identify this invasive species. Making a positive identification is crucial in the management of the plant.
Controlling London Rocket is important because it is considered an invasive plant in the southwest. It is so successful in utilizing available moisture and warm spring weather that it will often crowd out native plant varieties. Pulling or digging it up is effective and there are several herbicides that can help to control it. If you use an herbicide, please follow the instructions carefully. The most important thing to remember is that you should remove this invasive species before the seed pods form.
Despite it being an invasive weed it does have some uses. London Rocket is used by some people as a food source. It is also said to have some herbal properties. I sampled a few leaves on a plant I found, and they tasted kind of spicy and hot. It might make a good addition to a salad. If you choose to try London Rocket in any of its common uses, make sure you have properly identified it because there are other plants that have a similar appearance.
Spend some time outside looking and see if you can find any London Rocket.
Enjoy the green leaves and yellow flowers as they are the introduction to the coming spring.
Mr. Archibald is a Sandoval County Master Gardener who lives and works in Cibola County. As a Master Gardener he assists the Cibola County Cooperative Extension Service in providing accurate, research-based gardening information to county residents. If you have any gardening questions, please call the Cibola County Cooperative Extension at 505-287-9266. You can also contact Mr. Archibald at Cibola County Community Gardeners on Facebook.