This weed can be found throughout the United States primarily in nurseries and winter small grains. Cotyledons kidney- to heart shaped, approximately 5 mm long and 8 mm wide and have indentations at the apex. First true leaves are alternate, hairy, elliptic in outline and have wavy margins. Taproot in combination with a fibrous root system.
Lower leaves occur as a rosette, are petiolated, and unevenly lobed with toothed margins.
Upper leaves become progressively smaller up the stem, are not lobed, and either clasp the stem or have short petioles. Erect, branched towards the top of the plant and usually have hairs at least at the base of the plant but hairs can also be absent. A silique that is approximately 1 to 2 inches long and 2 to 3 mm wide. Generally a plant with a winter growth habit that has typical yellow mustard flowers and irregularly lobed leaves with wavy margins toward the base of the plant and much smaller, unlobed leaves at the top of the plant. However, the large terminal lobe in the leaves of yellow rocket helps to distinguish this weed from wild mustard and all of the other mustard species.