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Brundage, Stephanie

Lesquerella fendleri

Lesquerella fendleri (A. Gray) S. Watson

Fendler's Bladderpod, Popweed

Brassicaceae (Mustard Family)

Synonym(s): Lesquerella foliacea, Lesquerella praecox

USDA Symbol: LEFE

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Yellow flowers in loose short racemes at stem ends of a low, rather tightly tufted, silvery-gray perennial; plant surfaces covered with tiny, star-like scales. Fendler�s Bladderpod is a upright or sprawling, hairy plant, 1-16 in. high. Several stems, usually branched, form tufts or clumps. The plant appears silvery-gray. Bright yellow, 1 in. flowers in are loosely arranged in elongating terminal spikes. The small, round fruiting pods stand erect.

This is one of the earliest plants to flower in its area; its bright yellow is conspicuous against the drab ground of early spring. In the same region is the similar but annual Gordon's Bladderpod (L. gordonii), which has several slender stems that lie on the ground, turning up at the tips; unlike Fendler's Bladderpod, it is not tufted and has a more open appearance.

From the Image Gallery

79 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Silicle
Size Notes: Up to about 16 inches tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Jan , Feb , Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep

Distribution

USA: AZ , CO , KS , NM , OK , TX , UT
Native Distribution: W. KS to UT, s. to n. Mex.
Native Habitat: Plains & mesas; 4000-7000 ft.

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Dry, sandy or rocky, calcareous soils. Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay Caliche type, Limestone-based, Calcareous
Conditions Comments: One of the first wildflowers to bloom in the spring. Spikes of golden flowers are showy against the barren areas where in naturally occurs.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Perennial garden, Rock gardens, Rocky hillside, Color
Use Medicinal: Tea used as a remedy for spiderbites. (Weiner)
Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds
Commercially Avail: yes

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0152 Collected Mar. 3, 1991 in Bexar County by Judith C. Berry
NPSOT 0509 Collected Apr 11, 1992 in Kendall County by Lottie Millsaps

2 specimen(s) available in the Digital Herbarium

Bibliography

Bibref 1207 - Earth Medicine, Earth Food (1990) Michael A. Weiner
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Bibref 248 - Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller
Bibref 328 - Wildflowers of Texas (2003) Ajilvsgi, Geyata.
Bibref 286 - Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country (1989) Enquist, M.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Lesquerella fendleri in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Lesquerella fendleri in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Lesquerella fendleri

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-15
Research By: TWC Staff

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