# Warty-cabbage (*Bunias orientalis*)

Warty-cabbage is a fun-looking plant with bumpy leaves that can grow in many places. It has bright yellow flowers that attract butterflies and bees, making it a happy sight in gardens and fields.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![Warty-cabbage](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Bunias_orientalis_-_Turkish_wartycabbage_01.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Zeynel Cebeci, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bunias_orientalis_-_Turkish_wartycabbage_01.jpg)

## Appearance

The Warty-cabbage is a stout plant distinguished by its rough, warty stems and leaves, giving it a unique textured appearance. It bears clusters of small, bright yellow, four-petaled flowers, contrasting with its dark green foliage.

## Taxonomy

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

## Interesting facts

- It's a super fast grower, often winning the race against other plants!
- Its young leaves and flower buds can taste like spicy mustard!
- Warty-cabbage arrived in many countries hidden with grain shipments!
- You can find it growing even in salty coastal areas!

## Special abilities

- **Deep Digger:** Warty-cabbage can grow a super long taproot that helps it find water and nutrients deep underground, even in dry, poor soil!
- **Bumpy Barrier:** Warty-cabbage has bumpy, bristly leaves which might make it less tasty for some plant-eating animals, helping it stay safe.
- **Seed Bomb!:** Warty-cabbage produces many small seeds that can spread far and wide, helping it colonize new areas quickly.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-120 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.5-0.8 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to late summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Biennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — gathers nectar and pollen
- **Eats:** Small Cabbage White (*Pieris rapae*) — larvae feed on leaves
- **Eats:** [Black Slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — grazes on foliage
- **Eaten by:** Humans (*Homo sapiens*) — leaves harvested for food

## 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.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [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.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.

## 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 Warty-cabbage?

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 Warty-cabbage?

30-120 cm

### How wide does Warty-cabbage spread?

30-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on Warty-cabbage?

0.5-0.8 cm

### When does Warty-cabbage bloom?

Late spring to late summer

### Is Warty-cabbage edible?

Yes

### Is Warty-cabbage toxic?

None

### What is Warty-cabbage's lifecycle?

Biennial

## 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: [Warty-cabbage: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/warty-cabbage)