

Desert Madwort (var. himalayensis) Alyssum desertorum var. himalayensis variety
Desert Madwort (var. himalayensis) is an introduced annual herb, found in the lower 48 states.
More about this plant
Alyssum desertorum is a species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae known by the common name desert madwort. It is native to Europe, North Africa and Asia, and it is found in parts of western North America as an introduced species and sometimes a weed. This is a hairy annual herb producing upright stems up to about 20 centimeters tall. The leaves are linear to oblanceolate-linear in shape, 0.5-4 millimeters long and 0.3-3 millimeters wide. The entire plant is covered by 8-20 rayed stellate trichomes, giving the plant a grayish appearance. It produces small yellowish flowers with petals that are 2-2.5 millimeters long and round, notched fruits 2.5-4.5 millimeters long. The brown seeds are winged, arranged two to a locule, and are about 1.5 millimeters long. Wikipedia →
Growing & care
USDA PLANTS · TRY- Hardiness
- ≥ zone 11 derived from its U.S. range
- Lifespan
- Annual
Wildlife & pollinators
How pollinator value is scored →❧ Caterpillar hosts ~2 caterpillar species
Alyssum supports ~2 caterpillar species.
Native butterfly & moth caterpillars are the base of the terrestrial food web — most songbirds rear their young almost entirely on them. As a host for native Lepidoptera this is a modest genus for introduced plants — native genera typically support far more.
Recorded feeding on Alyssum in North America, including:
Sources for this entry (12) Open & cited
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