# Brassica montana

Brassica montana, also known as wild cabbage, is a leafy plant that grows in coastal areas. It has bright green leaves and can produce pretty yellow flowers in the spring.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Coastal areas
- **Also known as:** Wild Cabbage

![Brassica montana](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Brassica_rapa_%287490658994%29.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brassica_rapa_%287490658994%29.jpg)

## Appearance

The Brassica montana has distinctive glaucous blue-green leaves forming a basal rosette, from which upright stems bear clusters of bright yellow, four-petaled flowers. Its overall appearance is robust and somewhat stocky, often clinging to rocky terrain.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Brassicales
- **Family:** Brassicaceae
- **Genus:** Brassica

## Interesting facts

- Ancient people likely gathered and ate this wild cabbage long ago!
- Its tiny seeds can be carried by wind or water to start new plants in far-off places!
- This wild plant is a close cousin to broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower!
- You can often spot it clinging to rocky sea cliffs, defying gravity!

## Special abilities

- **Root Anchorage:** Brassica montana has deep roots that anchor it firmly in rocky soils, allowing it to thrive in harsh, unstable coastal environments.
- **Winter Resilience:** Brassica montana can survive cold winters by storing energy in its rootstock, enabling it to regrow vigorously each spring.
- **Salt Shield:** Brassica montana can tolerate salty sea spray and soils, a vital adaptation for its challenging coastal cliff habitats.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-100 cm
- **Spread:** 20-50 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring-summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Attracts bees with its bright yellow flowers.
- **Eaten by:** Small white butterfly (*Pieris rapae*) — Caterpillars feed on its leaves before pupating.
- **Eaten by:** [Wild goat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wild-goat) (*Capra aegagrus*) — Goats graze its leaves as a food source.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Biennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/biennial): Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always ask an adult before touching or tasting any plants.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Brassica montana?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Brassica montana?

30-100 cm

### How wide does Brassica montana spread?

20-50 cm

### How big are the flowers on Brassica montana?

1-2 cm

### When does Brassica montana bloom?

Spring-summer

### Is Brassica montana edible?

Yes

### Is Brassica montana toxic?

None

### What is Brassica montana's lifecycle?

Perennial

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Brassica montana: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brassica-montana)