Notice broad kidney-shaped cotyledons indented at tip. Older plants have alternate leaves which are somewhat hairy, especially on the lower surface of the veins. The lower leaves are usually stalked, deeply lobed with a large terminal segment and a few smaller lateral lobes. Young plant of wild mustard. Notice deeply lobed lower leaves with large terminal segment and smaller lateral lobes.
Upper leaves are stalkless, generally undivided but coarsely toothed.
Plant height can range from 30 to 100 cm with either simple or much-branched stems. The stems usually have stiff downward pointing hairs, especially on the lower parts, and are green or somewhat purplish. Flowering wild mustard plant. Wild mustard may be confused with other annual yellow-flowered mustards but is uniquely distinguished by having 1 or 2 seeds in the flattened, terminal beak of the pod, in addition to those seeds between the valves of the pod, and the stalk of the pod being short and nearly as thick as the pod. Seedpod of wild mustard.