Brassicaceae : Lesquerella ludoviciana
Files
Download Seed: The reddish brown seeds of bladderpod are 2-2.5 mm long. (8 KB)
Download Seedling: Bladderpod seedling two months after germinating. (93 KB)
Download Vegetative: The leaves are 2-10 cm long. (912 KB)
Download Flowering: The petals are 5-11 mm long. (574 KB)
Download Fruiting: The silicles of silver bladderpod are 3-4 mm long. (140 KB)
Download Mature plant (1.2 MB)
Family Name
Brassicaceae
Common Name
Bladderpod
Description
Lesquerella ludoviciana is a perennial herb with a few spreading to ascending, densely hairy stems, arising from a simple caudex and growing 15–35 cm in length. Basal leaves 2-6 cm long and 4-10 mm wide. The outer leaves oblanceolate and lying flat, the inner leaves erect, narrowly elliptic to oblanceolate with 4- to 7-rayed stellate hairs, the margins entire to shallowly toothed. The cauline leaves similar but reduced upward. Flowers are in elongating stalks in cluster at the top of the stem, petals, yellow, 6–10 mm long and 2-4 mm wide. Fruit are globose silicles, on pedicels growing 10–16 mm long, 3–4 mm in diameter, often flattened, with 2 to 6 seeds per locule. Bladderpod blooms from April to August on dry prairies, predominantly in western South Dakota.
Horticulture Notes
Seed Collection: Collect seed June to August when seeds are reddish brown in color.
Germination: The seeds are dormant and need a 60-90 day cold-moist treatment for spring planting or fall planting will produce good seed germination.
Soils: Sandy or gravelly well drained soils
Light: Full sun
Water: Prefers dry areas
Additional Notes
Bladderpod is an easy to grow little mustard that is an attractive addition to a rock garden or along a border where it can be seen. It produces flowers over a large pre of the spring and summer.