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Shepherd's Purse

©Northeast Wildlife

Shepherd's purse

Shepherd's purse is often considered a 'weed'. It produces a lot of seeds and can be found on cultivated and disturbed land, such as arable fields, tracks and gardens.

Scientific name

Capsella bursa-pastoris

When to see

January to December

Species information

Statistics

Height: up to 35cm
Common.

About

Shepherd's purse is a widespread annual of cultivated land, including fields, farmland, tracks, roadside verges and gardens. It gets its common name from its heart-shaped seed pods, which resemble little pouches that were worn by medieval peasants. It flowers all year-round and is known for producing a lot of seeds - a single plant can produce 2,000-3,000 seeds, which are long-lived in the soil, germinating when the ground is disturbed.

How to identify

Shepherd's purse can be recognised by its green, heart-shaped seed pods which are held out on thin stalks. Small, white flowers appear in clusters at the top of the stems.

Distribution

Widespread.

Did you know?

When the seed pods of Shepherd's purse break open, they release copper-coloured seeds - a little bit like coins.