A Few Members of the Brassicaceae Family

In addition to the Stock and Toothwort photos I’ve recently shared, I have also photographed three other members of the Brassicaceae family. The 3700+ species in this family include not only vegetables such as mustards, cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, horseradish but also many ornamental flowering plants.

One of my favorite members of this family is blue flax (helophila coronopifolia). This South African native has delicate blue flowers with yellow centers. Seeing them in a garden reminds me of the beauty of the bluets in the mountains.

Shepherd’s Purse (capsella bursa-pastoris) is a Brassicaceae native to Eastern Europe and Asia Minor that has naturalized across the world – including in the western United States where I photographed some at Yellowstone National Park. The small white flowers are followed by heart-shaped pods that give the plant it’s common name.

The final member of this family that I’ve photographed is Ornamental Kale (brassica oleracea). Bred from a wild cabbage originally native to Southern and Western Europe – today’s ornamental kale are not only a great addition to a healthy diet – but also fun to see in a garden