Oil-seed Rape

Oil-seed Rape - Brassica napus subsp. oleifera

Alternative names
Rapeseed
Description

The familiar garish yellow crop that is grown across many fields in Britain but now commonly found growing wild. It grows to 1.5 metres though is frequently smaller. The flowers are slightly over-topped by the buds and the greyish leaves clasp the stem.

Similar Species

Brassica rapa and B. oleraceus (turnip and cabbage)

Identification difficulty
ID checklist (your specimen should have all of these features)

Stem-leaves clasp stem at base, more or less glaucous/hairless; long seed pods, sticking out from stem, with beak; one row in reach valve (= 2 rows); each valve has one vein; buds slightly overtop flowers, forming 'dome'.

Recording advice

Photos of whole plant in habitat, plus close up of flower head showing seed pods, buds and open flowers

Habitat

Waysides and field borders in arable countryside.

When to see it

March - September

Life History

Oil-seed Rape is widely grown for the production of animal feed, vegetable oil for human consumption, and biodiesel.

UK Status

Common as a wildflower growing away from crop fields.

VC55 Status

Common

In the current Checklist (Jeeves, 2011) it is listed as Alien, occasional, but frequent as planted crop

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Additional images

All NatureSpot records

Photo of the association

Mealy Cabbage Aphid

The Mealy Cabbage Aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae) spends its entire life cycle on Brassicas such as Cabbage and Oil-seed Rape. The apterae are green and wax-powdered. The head, tips of the antennae and the legs are dark. The body length of apterae is 1.9 to 2.7 mm.