No. 84
Virginia pepperweed
Lepidium virginicum (also L. campestre, L. densiflorum)
peppergrass, poor man’s pepper; also field and prairie pepperweed
Fruit green seedpods and seeds (seasoning)
Drawing: Britton & Brown, Illustrated Flora (1913)
- Find
- Common in the right habitat
- Effort
- Grab & eat
- ID risk
- Beginner
- Origin
- mixed
- Safety marks
- Spray risk
- Uses
- Spice & seasoning
Season
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
in season peak
Picking: The rules are unclear. Ask the park. See Where you may pick.
What these mean
Find
1 Everywhere · 2 Common in the right habitat · 3 Patchy · 4 Elusive. This is about how much there is, not whether you may pick it. It is based on iNaturalist sightings within 25 km (about 15 miles) of downtown DC, counted on October 3, 2026. The four rules that each plant’s “Find” reason refers to: (A) the estimate is the confirmed sightings, plus the unconfirmed ones (scaled down where the plant has lookalikes in its genus), plus the sightings marked as planted; (B) the tier by estimate: 1,500 or more is tier 1, 250–1,499 tier 2, 50–249 tier 3, under 50 tier 4; (C) tier 1, Everywhere, also needs a source saying the plant is common in lawns, sidewalks, yards or gardens, vacant lots or towns, or at least one DC street tree of it per km of sidewalk, otherwise it is tier 2; (D) if a reliable source says the plant is rare in this region, or that wild plants rarely bear the harvest, only planted sightings count. iNaturalist is a website and phone app where people post photos of the plants and animals they see. A sighting is “research grade” when other users have confirmed what it is; “needs ID” sightings are not confirmed yet, and “cultivated” ones are marked as planted.
Effort
1 Grab & eat · 2 Quick kitchen prep (under about 30 minutes) · 3 Real work (hours, or cooking needed for safety) · 4 Project (days or equipment). Scored on the simplest worthwhile use; each plant’s page says why.
ID risk
How hard it is to harvest safely. Beginner: no dangerous lookalike, and the edible part is not easily confused with a toxic part. Careful: a toxic lookalike, or toxic parts that end up in the harvest unless removed (for example elderberry stems, unripe ground cherries), or other parts of the plant rated medium-or-higher toxicity, with reliable features to separate them. Expert only: a potentially deadly lookalike that is hard to separate, or (for not-recommended harvests like pokeweed) a plant whose safe preparation can’t be guaranteed. Toxic parts that are obviously separate and thrown away anyway (pits, seeds, skins) don’t raise it; the Toxic parts mark carries that warning.
Native or not, and the invader stars
Origin is where the plant comes from: native, non-native, or mixed (the harvest covers both). The stars rate plants on invasive plant lists: ★★★ Virginia DCR “High” or Maryland prohibited invasive · ★★ Virginia “Medium” · ★ Virginia “Low” · ☆ listed only by the Maryland Invasive Species Council or the Mid-Atlantic Plant Invaders guide (advisory) · no stars: native or not listed.
Safety marks and flags
Deadly lookalike / Toxic lookalike: a cited source names a lookalike of that danger, recorded near DC (an iNaturalist sighting within 25 km, a DC street tree, or a Smithsonian listing for DC) and looking like the part you eat. Other lookalikes are still listed, marked “not recorded near DC” or as not looking like the part you eat. Deadly means a source says eating it may be fatal or calls it deadly, or NC State rates it high severity with life-threatening symptoms (sources sometimes disagree; for example Virginia creeper). Each plant’s Lookalikes list says how to tell them apart; “harmless (may be edible)” lookalikes are listed so you know a mix-up isn’t dangerous. Cook first: cooking is needed for safety (for daylilies it is a precaution, not a sourced requirement). Eat in moderation: a source says to limit quantity or frequency (for example oxalates in sorrels and dock, ginkgotoxin, safrole). Spray risk: a source says the plant is commonly treated with herbicide in parks or lawns (invasive control, lawn weeds) or, for ginkgo, sprayed to stop fruiting. Contamination: a source says the plant concentrates pollutants. Each plant’s Safety flags list gives the details and sources.
Seasons
Start, peak and end are given in thirds of a month: early, mid or late. A plant counts as in season for a month if it is in season at any point in that month. Some greens and roots have a second window, in spring or fall; their page shows each window. A season that runs across New Year is shown as one window.
What it looks like
Virginia pepperweed is a native annual of the mustard family (Native Plant Trust) that starts as a low rosette of lobed, toothed leaves and then sends up branched stems about 4 to 20 inches tall (Virginia Tech; Eat The Weeds). The stems end in long, bottlebrush-like spikes of tiny white flowers, with flat, round seedpods, notched at the tip, forming below them (Edible Wild Food; Cornell University). All parts of the plant have a peppery taste (Cornell University). Field pepperweed, a Eurasian relative that Eat The Weeds says is used the same way, has hairy leaves that clasp the stem and slightly larger pods (Cornell University; Native Plant Trust). The seedpods are round and flat, about 1/10 to 1/6 inch (2.5 to 4 mm) wide, slightly winged and notched at the tip, and peppery to taste (Cornell University; Virginia Tech). Eat The Weeds likens them to flat, tiny lentils. They form lower on the stem while flowers keep opening at the top (Cornell University).
Safety
No toxicity is reported in the sources checked: the University of Florida lists Virginia pepperweed as non-toxic, and Native Plant Trust says the young leaves are edible. Eat The Weeds says it has no poisonous lookalikes. Two weedy mustards look similar and are harmless: shepherd’s purse has heart-shaped seedpods, star-shaped hairs and leaves only on the lower part of its flowering stem, while pepperweed’s flowering stems are leafy throughout (Cornell University); field pennycress has much larger round pods, about 1/2 inch across, and an unpleasant smell when crushed (Cornell University). Both are eaten as well (NC State; Cornell University). Virginia pepperweed is a lawn and turf weed, and Cornell University’s turf weed guide lists broadleaf weed killers such as 2,4-D and dicamba for it, so avoid lawns, roadsides and park edges that may have been sprayed. Eat The Weeds suggests trying a little first.
Lookalikes
Shepherd’s purse Capsella bursa-pastoris harmless (may be edible)
Like pepperweed, a rosette-forming weedy mustard with flattened seed pods, but its pods are heart-shaped and it has spreading, star-shaped hairs; its flowering stem has leaves only on the lower part, while the flowering stems of Virginia and field pepperweed have leaves throughout (Cornell University). Eat The Weeds also separates them by the heart-shaped pods. Its leaves, seeds and flowering shoots are edible (NC State).
- Weed profile: Shepherd’s-purse, Capsella bursa-pastoris Cornell University CALS, Weed Science
- Mustards: identifying weedy mustards as seedlings, rosettes and flowering plants (Cornell Weed Identification) Cornell University, School of Integrative Plant Science
- Peppergrass: Potent Pipsqueak (Green Deane) Eat The Weeds
- Capsella bursa-pastoris (Shepherd’s Purse) NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Field pennycress Thlaspi arvense harmless (may be edible)
Another rosette-forming weedy mustard with flattened seed pods (Cornell University), but its round pods are about 1/2 inch across, much larger than pepperweed’s, with a notch deeper than it is wide, and all its parts give off an unpleasant odor when crushed (Cornell University; NC State). Eat The Weeds calls it an edible relative, and Cornell University notes its tender young shoots are eaten in salads in parts of Europe.
- Weed profile: Shepherd’s-purse, Capsella bursa-pastoris Cornell University CALS, Weed Science
- Weed profile: Field pennycress, Thlaspi arvense Cornell University CALS, Weed Science
- Thlaspi arvense (Field Pennycress) NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Peppergrass: Potent Pipsqueak (Green Deane) Eat The Weeds
- Mustards: identifying weedy mustards as seedlings, rosettes and flowering plants (Cornell Weed Identification) Cornell University, School of Integrative Plant Science
Safety flags
Spray risk
A lawn and turf weed: Cornell University’s turfgrass weed guide lists herbicides such as 2,4-D, dicamba and glyphosate for Virginia pepperweed, and the University of Georgia lists it among broadleaf turf weeds, so lawns, roadsides and park edges may have been sprayed.
- Virginia pepperweed (Turfgrass and Landscape Weed ID) Cornell University, School of Integrative Plant Science
- Virginia Pepperweed (GeorgiaTurf, broadleaf weeds) University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Safety marks and flags: what this means
Deadly lookalike / Toxic lookalike: a cited source names a lookalike of that danger, recorded near DC (an iNaturalist sighting within 25 km, a DC street tree, or a Smithsonian listing for DC) and looking like the part you eat. Other lookalikes are still listed, marked “not recorded near DC” or as not looking like the part you eat. Deadly means a source says eating it may be fatal or calls it deadly, or NC State rates it high severity with life-threatening symptoms (sources sometimes disagree; for example Virginia creeper). Each plant’s Lookalikes list says how to tell them apart; “harmless (may be edible)” lookalikes are listed so you know a mix-up isn’t dangerous. Cook first: cooking is needed for safety (for daylilies it is a precaution, not a sourced requirement). Eat in moderation: a source says to limit quantity or frequency (for example oxalates in sorrels and dock, ginkgotoxin, safrole). Spray risk: a source says the plant is commonly treated with herbicide in parks or lawns (invasive control, lawn weeds) or, for ginkgo, sprayed to stop fruiting. Contamination: a source says the plant concentrates pollutants. Each plant’s Safety flags list gives the details and sources.
- ID risk
- Beginner
- Why
- No toxic lookalike is named, and Eat The Weeds says there are no poisonous look-alikes. Shepherd’s purse (heart-shaped pods, star-shaped hairs, leaves only low on the flowering stem) and field pennycress (round pods about 1/2 inch across, unpleasant smell when crushed) look similar but are themselves eaten (Cornell University; NC State).
- Soil risk
- low
ID risk: what this means
How hard it is to harvest safely. Beginner: no dangerous lookalike, and the edible part is not easily confused with a toxic part. Careful: a toxic lookalike, or toxic parts that end up in the harvest unless removed (for example elderberry stems, unripe ground cherries), or other parts of the plant rated medium-or-higher toxicity, with reliable features to separate them. Expert only: a potentially deadly lookalike that is hard to separate, or (for not-recommended harvests like pokeweed) a plant whose safe preparation can’t be guaranteed. Toxic parts that are obviously separate and thrown away anyway (pits, seeds, skins) don’t raise it; the Toxic parts mark carries that warning.
Soil risk: what this means
Based on the part you eat, following the urban-soil lead guidance on the Field safety page: higher for greens, shoots and roots; moderate for flowers; low for fruit, nuts and sap.
Field safety for every outing (poison ivy, ticks, soil, and more)
When to pick
- Starts
- late Apr
- Peak
- early Jun–late Jul
- Ends
- late Sep
The flower spikes keep growing through the season, with seedpods forming below the flowers (Cornell University), so green pods can be picked from late spring through summer. Virginia Tech says the plant flowers from early spring through early summer; in New York flowering continues sporadically until autumn (Cornell University). No source gives picking dates for the DC area, so all three boundaries are estimates. The recipes call for young, green pods (Edible Wild Food; Eat The Weeds).
How the dates were worked out
Every start, peak and end was re-checked in October 2026. “Sourced” means a source opened during the check states that timing for the DC or Mid-Atlantic area. “Estimated” means no source states it exactly; the reason, the evidence and the source links are under “How the dates were worked out” on each plant’s page. Peaks are often estimated, because few sources name a peak. iNaturalist evidence means research-grade sightings near DC, by month, of the plant at that stage (for example, in fruit). iNaturalist is a website and phone app where people post photos of the plants and animals they see. A sighting is “research grade” when other users have confirmed what it is; “needs ID” sightings are not confirmed yet, and “cultivated” ones are marked as planted.
Season basis: estimated: start, peak, end
Start
estimated: No source dates the first green pods for the DC area; late April follows the early spring flowering Virginia Tech gives and the first iNaturalist sightings marked as fruiting here.
Peak
estimated: No source names a best month; June and July are when plants carrying pods are logged most here, at midsummer.
End
estimated: No source gives an end date for green pods; late September keeps the late-summer plants Cornell describes, after which few plants are logged here.
Evidence
start: Virginia Tech: flowers 'appear in dense terminal clusters early spring through early summer'. Cornell University: 'as the season progresses the flowering stem extends, with seeds forming lower on the stem while flowers bloom towards the top'. iNaturalist (fruiting annotation, research grade, 25 km): 2 in April, 4 in May, of 15. | peak: Edible Wild Food: 'It generally appears from May to November in the northern hemisphere.' iNaturalist (all research-grade sightings within 25 km): 52 in May, 74 in June, 39 in July, 20 in August. | end: Cornell University (New York): flowers 'are present consistently until early summer and sporadically until autumn'. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: bloom time June to November (range-wide). iNaturalist: 20 sightings in August, 4 in September, 7 in October.
- Virginia pepperweed (Lepidium virginicum), Weed Identification Guide Virginia Tech
- Virginia Pepperweed (Cornell Weed Identification) Cornell University, School of Integrative Plant Science
- iNaturalist research-grade observations of Virginia, field and prairie pepperweed within 25 km of Washington, DC, by month (fruiting annotation) iNaturalist
- Peppergrass (Lepidium virginicum) Edible Wild Food
- iNaturalist research-grade observations of Virginia, field and prairie pepperweed within 25 km of Washington, DC, by month (all observations) iNaturalist
- Lepidium virginicum (Virginia pepperweed) Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Where to look
Sunny lawns, garden edges, fields, roadsides and waste ground in summer; it is logged most along the Four Mile Run stream valley, at Lake Artemesia and in Rock Creek Park, none of which allows picking; the C&O Canal and Virginia state parks may or may not count green seedpods as allowed 'fruits' (ask the park first), so the sure option is your own or a friend’s unsprayed yard.
- Habitats
- lawns & sidewalk cracks, disturbed ground & waste places, old fields & meadows
Habitats: what this means
Listed where the plant’s own sources place it in that habitat. “Disturbed ground & waste places” means a cited source places it on disturbed areas, sites, soil or ground, on waste places or waste ground, on construction or abandoned building sites (old home sites count), on rubble or in strip mines. When the source gives examples of the disturbed places, at least one example must be of that kind. Examples that do not count: natural or forestry disturbance (treefall gaps, fire, windthrow, flood scour, old riverbanks and creeks, clear-cuts); roadsides, railroads and rights-of-way; and abandoned fields, pastures and farmland, which are “Old fields & meadows”. “Vacant lots” only where a source says vacant or empty lots.
Most-logged places
None of the most-logged places allows picking.
No picking here (5 places)
- Four Mile Run stream valley (Arlington/Alexandria)
Look but don’t pick: Arlington County park rules (flora shall not be removed or disturbed) and Alexandria’s permit rule both apply.
- Lake Artemesia Natural Area
Look but don’t pick: Montgomery/Prince George’s parks (M-NCPPC) ban harvesting vegetation without a permit.
- Rock Creek Park
Look but don’t pick: Rock Creek Park’s compendium bans gathering any fruit, nut, berry, seed or greenery.
- Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens
Look but don’t pick: Kenilworth is a NACE site that is not on the compendium’s list of gathering areas.
- Cabin John Regional Park
Look but don’t pick: Montgomery/Prince George’s parks (M-NCPPC) ban harvesting vegetation without a permit.
Most-logged places: what this means
The places with the most research-grade iNaturalist sightings within 25 km of downtown DC (re-counted in October 2026 over every named place, campuses, condominiums and private grounds included), each marked legal to pick or not. A sighting inside several named places counts once, for the smallest of them, but a sighting inside a National Park Service park never counts for a private, campus or unchecked place. iNaturalist shows where people walk and log plants, not true abundance. Private campuses, condominiums, museums, estates and utility land (Pepco’s power-line land near Sligo Creek) are marked “no” (pick only with the owner’s permission); public university campuses, city parks and other places whose picking rules were not checked (county stormwater land, the U.S. Capitol Grounds, Greenbelt’s North Woods, federal facilities such as the National Zoo) are “unknown”. A place needs at least 2 sightings, so plants with very few sightings have no places. At-risk plants (butternut, nannyberry, American chestnut, ramps, riverbank goldenrod) get places like every other plant; each page says why the plant is at risk and gives any advice its sources give. For some places, mostly Rock Creek Park, the iNaturalist map shows more sightings than the count here, because a map link cannot leave out exactly the sightings credited to another place. iNaturalist is a website and phone app where people post photos of the plants and animals they see. A sighting is “research grade” when other users have confirmed what it is; “needs ID” sightings are not confirmed yet, and “cultivated” ones are marked as planted.
Where you may pick
On National Park Service land around DC (Rock Creek Park and other NPS units) removing plants or plant parts is prohibited unless the park designates them; the C&O Canal’s compendium allows edible fruits generally but does not list pepperweed, and does not say whether its green seedpods count as edible fruits, so picking them there is ambiguous (ask the park), and no other NPS unit near DC names pepperweed among the items it allows; Rock Creek’s compendium also bars gathering fruits, nuts, berries, seeds, mushrooms or cut greenery. Virginia state parks allow edible fruits, berries, fungi or nuts for personal use (4VAC5-30-50) but do not say whether pepperweed’s green seedpods count, so they are ambiguous there (ask the park). Get permission before picking in county or regional parks or on private land.
- C&O Canal NHP (incl. Great Falls MD, trail-side only)
C&O 2026 compendium 2.1(c)(1): 'Edible fruits, nuts, berries, and mushrooms may be gathered by hand for personal use or consumption.' The limits table that follows does not list pepperweed. Its green seedpods are botanically fruits, but the compendium does not say whether they count as 'edible fruits' (the same question as for milkweed pods and wood sorrel’s green seed pods, labeled ambiguous). Confirm with the park.
- Virginia State Parks
4VAC5-30-50 bars gathering any plant without a permit, except that edible fruits, berries, fungi or nuts may be collected for personal or individual use; 'edible fruits'. Pepperweed’s green seedpods are botanically fruits, but they are used as a seasoning and the rule bars taking plants; whether they count as 'edible fruits' is not addressed
Where you may pick: what this means
For each park system: “yes” where its current rules (the park’s compendium or regulation) allow this plant or part, with the limit; “ambiguous” where the wording may or may not cover it, so ask the park; “no” where it is not allowed. Rock Creek Park, the GW Parkway sites (including Great Falls VA and Theodore Roosevelt Island), the National Mall, Montgomery and Prince George’s parks, Maryland state parks, and Fairfax and Arlington parks prohibit picking. Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts allows blackberries and raspberries (one gallon per person per day) and chestnuts (one gallon per person per day). National Park Service rules are reissued every year; other parks change theirs from time to time, so check the park’s current rules. The Where you may pick page has every park’s rules.
Ways to use it
- green seedpods used fresh as a black pepper substitute (Edible Wild Food; Eat The Weeds)
- seeds as a spice or pepper flavoring (Eat The Weeds)
- green seedpods blended with water, cider vinegar, honey and spices into a peppery salad dressing (Edible Wild Food)
- green seedpods blended with garlic, hot pepper, fresh herbs and olive oil into a marinade or chermoula for vegetables (Edible Wild Food; Eat The Weeds)
Keeping
Use within a few days; a pepperweed sauce with garlic and oil keeps only 4 days in the fridge, so freeze it for longer.
- Use within
- within a few days
- Keeps fresh
- Fresh herbs last only a few days in the refrigerator (general guidance for fresh herbs; Ohio State University). Use the green pods soon after picking.
- Keeping basis
- general guidance for its type
Ways to keep it
Freeze as researched: freeze as pesto; canning: n/a (not shelf-canned)
For a pepperweed marinade or chermoula made with garlic, herbs and oil: Oregon State says flavored oils and pesto must be refrigerated and used within 4 days or frozen for long-term storage, because herbs and garlic in oil can grow the botulism bacterium (NCHFP says no more than 3 days for pesto). The recipe pages suggest keeping these sauces a month or more in the fridge; follow the 4-day limit or freeze instead. No tested canning process exists for pesto.
Canning: what this means
Shelf-stable canning, three levels. Lab-tested: a lab-tested recipe from the National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) or Oregon State covers this fruit and product, or a generic recipe for its kind (the line says so, for example chokeberry). Extension recipe: a published Extension recipe (University of Alaska Fairbanks, written for Alaska species; University of Maine’s dandelion jelly), or a process that is safe only with a pH meter; follow it exactly, never improvise. No tested recipe: refrigerate or freeze, don’t can. “Hot-bottled syrup” = maple and walnut syrup, which keep when bottled hot at full syrup density. The Canning line names the exact product each source covers, for example “whole berries” or “juice”; a product not named there (such as juice from a berry with only a whole-berry recipe) has no tested recipe.
Keeping basis: what this means
“Specific to this plant” or “general guidance for its type” (for example NCHFP guidance for leafy greens applied to a wild green).
Nutrition
Not researched: in October 2026, only the calendar’s plants of the month and chicory leaves were researched.
Native or not
Mixed harvest named for Virginia pepperweed, which is native (USDA PLANTS: native in the lower 48). Field pepperweed (L. campestre) is introduced (USDA PLANTS; Native Plant Trust: 'a Eurasian import'; Virginia plant atlas: introduced). Prairie pepperweed (L. densiflorum) is listed by USDA PLANTS as both native and introduced in the lower 48 and by the Virginia plant atlas as introduced. None of the three is on the Virginia DCR, MDA or MISC lists; MISC lists only a different species, perennial pepperweed (L. latifolium).
- Origin
- mixed
- Native range
- L. virginicum: much of North America (USDA PLANTS; Native Plant Trust); L. campestre: Eurasia (Native Plant Trust)
- Virginia invasive rank
- not listed
- Maryland invasive status
- not listed
Native or not, and the invader stars: what this means
Origin is where the plant comes from: native, non-native, or mixed (the harvest covers both). The stars rate plants on invasive plant lists: ★★★ Virginia DCR “High” or Maryland prohibited invasive · ★★ Virginia “Medium” · ★ Virginia “Low” · ☆ listed only by the Maryland Invasive Species Council or the Mid-Atlantic Plant Invaders guide (advisory) · no stars: native or not listed.
Virginia DCR, Virginia Invasive Plant Species List (effective September 2024), verbatim: "Under the DCR Invasive Species Assessment Protocol, approved by the Virginia Invasive Species Working Group, January 2024, species were ranked as exhibiting high, medium or low levels of invasiveness based on their threat to natural communities and native species. Invasiveness rank is higher for species that: • Alter ecosystem processes, such as succession, hydrology or fire regime. • Are capable of invading undisturbed natural communities. • Cause substantial impacts on rare or vulnerable species or natural communities or high-quality examples of more common communities. • Are found widely distributed and generally abundant where present. • Disperse readily to new areas. • Are difficult to control." The list also states: "The list is for educational purposes only and has no regulatory authority."
Maryland Department of Agriculture, Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant Law and Regulations page, verbatim: "Plants on the Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant List may not be added to stock after the effective date and should not be sold after their phase-out period ends."
No official DC invasive plant list was found.
How the ratings were set
- Find
- Common in the right habitat Estimate 570 = 253 research-grade iNaturalist sightings within 25 km + 450 needs-ID sightings counted at 70% (253 of the 363 research-grade Lepidium sightings here are Virginia, field or prairie pepperweed) + 3 'cultivated' (planted) sightings (rule A); that is tier 2 by count (rule B). Rule D does not apply: the Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora calls prairie pepperweed "Infrequent to rare throughout" Virginia, but it makes up only 6 of the 253 research-grade sightings here, and the same atlas calls Virginia pepperweed "Common throughout". Includes field pepperweed (40 research-grade sightings) and prairie pepperweed (6), eaten the same way; lesser swinecress (109) is not counted. Final tier 2.
- Effort
- Grab & eat Strip the green seedpods from the stalks and eat or sprinkle them fresh like pepper; blending them into a dressing or marinade is a 2.
Find: what this means
1 Everywhere · 2 Common in the right habitat · 3 Patchy · 4 Elusive. This is about how much there is, not whether you may pick it. It is based on iNaturalist sightings within 25 km (about 15 miles) of downtown DC, counted on October 3, 2026. The four rules that each plant’s “Find” reason refers to: (A) the estimate is the confirmed sightings, plus the unconfirmed ones (scaled down where the plant has lookalikes in its genus), plus the sightings marked as planted; (B) the tier by estimate: 1,500 or more is tier 1, 250–1,499 tier 2, 50–249 tier 3, under 50 tier 4; (C) tier 1, Everywhere, also needs a source saying the plant is common in lawns, sidewalks, yards or gardens, vacant lots or towns, or at least one DC street tree of it per km of sidewalk, otherwise it is tier 2; (D) if a reliable source says the plant is rare in this region, or that wild plants rarely bear the harvest, only planted sightings count. iNaturalist is a website and phone app where people post photos of the plants and animals they see. A sighting is “research grade” when other users have confirmed what it is; “needs ID” sightings are not confirmed yet, and “cultivated” ones are marked as planted.
Effort: what this means
1 Grab & eat · 2 Quick kitchen prep (under about 30 minutes) · 3 Real work (hours, or cooking needed for safety) · 4 Project (days or equipment). Scored on the simplest worthwhile use; each plant’s page says why.
Sources
41 sources, each linked to the original.
- Rock Creek Park Superintendent’s Compendium National Park ServiceBacks up: picking rules
- 36 CFR 2.1 - Preservation of natural, cultural and archeological resources Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School (text of federal regulation)Backs up: picking rules
- C&O Canal NHP Superintendent’s Compendium, effective September 11, 2026 National Park Service, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHPBacks up: picking rules
- 4VAC5-30-50. Flowers, plants, minerals, etc. Virginia Law Library (law.lis.virginia.gov)Backs up: picking rules
- Field Pepperweed (Cornell Weed Identification) Cornell University, School of Integrative Plant ScienceBacks up: description
- Lepidium virginicum (poor-man’s pepperweed), Go Botany Native Plant TrustBacks up: description, safety, habitat, native or invasive status
- Virginia pepperweed (Lepidium virginicum), Weed Identification Guide Virginia TechBacks up: description, season
- Virginia Pepperweed (Cornell Weed Identification) Cornell University, School of Integrative Plant ScienceBacks up: description, season
- Lepidium virginicum (Virginia pepperweed) Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower CenterBacks up: description, season, habitat
- Peppergrass: Potent Pipsqueak (Green Deane) Eat The WeedsBacks up: description, uses, safety, habitat, storage, keeping
- Peppergrass (Lepidium virginicum) Edible Wild FoodBacks up: description, uses, season, habitat
- Lepidium campestre (field pepperweed), Go Botany Native Plant TrustBacks up: description, native or invasive status
- Thlaspi arvense (Field Pennycress) NC State Extension Gardener Plant ToolboxBacks up: effort & ID risk, safety details
- iNaturalist research-grade observations of Lepidium virginicum + L. campestre + L. densiflorum within 25 km of downtown DC iNaturalistBacks up: findability
- Lepidium densiflorum (Common Pepperweed, Prairie Peppergrass) (Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora) Virginia Botanical Associates (Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora)Backs up: findability, native or invasive status
- Annotated Checklist of the Vascular Plants of the Washington-Baltimore Area, Part I (Shetler & Orli, 2000) Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of BotanyBacks up: habitat
- Lepidium virginicum, from Gleason & Cronquist, Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada (1991) New York Botanical Garden, Steere Herbarium (Virtual Herbarium monographs)Backs up: habitat, description
- Lepidium virginicum L. var. virginicum (Virginia Pepperweed) (Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora) Virginia Botanical Associates (Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora)Backs up: habitat, findability, native or invasive status
- Lepidium campestre (Field Pepperweed) (Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora) Virginia Botanical Associates (Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora)Backs up: habitat, native or invasive status
- Food Preservation: Preserving Herbs—Freezing and Drying (HYG-5360) Ohio State University ExtensionBacks up: keeping
- Herbs and Vegetables in Oil (SP 50-701) Oregon State University Extension ServiceBacks up: keeping
- Freezing Pesto National Center for Home Food Preservation (University of Georgia)Backs up: keeping
- USDA PLANTS Database: Lepidium virginicum (LEVI3), native status USDA NRCSBacks up: native or invasive status
- USDA PLANTS Database: Lepidium campestre (LECA5), native status USDA NRCSBacks up: native or invasive status
- USDA PLANTS Database: Lepidium densiflorum (LEDE), native status USDA NRCSBacks up: native or invasive status
- Virginia Invasive Plant Species List (effective date: September 2024) Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural HeritageBacks up: native or invasive status
- Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant Law and Regulations (Maryland Prohibited Invasive Plant List, updated January 2026; additions effective July 15, 2026; 'Next Plants To Be Assessed' 2026-2027) Maryland Department of Agriculture, Plant Protection & Weed ManagementBacks up: native or invasive status
- Non-Native Invasive Terrestrial Plant Species in the State of Maryland (updates approved through the April 18, 2024 MISC meeting) Maryland Invasive Species CouncilBacks up: native or invasive status
- Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas, Field Guide (Swearingen & Fulton, 2022; successor to the NPS/USFWS 5th ed., 2017) Mid-Atlantic Invasive Plant Council / Passiflora Press (hosted by Bugwood/Mid-Atlantic Invaders Tool)Backs up: native or invasive status
- Invasive Plants in the District DC Department of Energy & EnvironmentBacks up: native or invasive status
- Shepherd’s purse (weed profile) Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Weed ScienceBacks up: safety, effort & ID risk, safety details
- Field pennycress (weed profile) Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Weed ScienceBacks up: safety, effort & ID risk, safety details
- Mustards: identifying weedy mustards as seedlings, rosettes and flowering plants (Cornell Weed Identification) Cornell University, School of Integrative Plant ScienceBacks up: safety, effort & ID risk, safety details
- Lepidium virginicum (Weed Identification by Flower Color) University of Florida IFAS, Mid-Florida Research and Education CenterBacks up: safety, effort & ID risk, safety details
- Capsella bursa-pastoris (Shepherd’s Purse) NC State Extension Gardener Plant ToolboxBacks up: safety, safety details
- Virginia pepperweed (Turfgrass and Landscape Weed ID) Cornell University, School of Integrative Plant ScienceBacks up: safety, safety details
- Virginia Pepperweed (GeorgiaTurf, broadleaf weeds) University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental SciencesBacks up: safety, safety details
- iNaturalist research-grade observations of Virginia, field and prairie pepperweed within 25 km of Washington, DC, by month (all observations) iNaturalistBacks up: season
- iNaturalist research-grade observations of Virginia, field and prairie pepperweed within 25 km of Washington, DC, by month (fruiting annotation) iNaturalistBacks up: season
- Peppergrass Dressing Recipe Edible Wild FoodBacks up: uses
- Peppergrass Seed Marinade Recipe Edible Wild FoodBacks up: uses, storage, keeping