Here you see one of the wild mustard plants in our field at day’s last light, a time when they seemingly become incandescent.
Here’s a closer look at the plant’s flowers in the early morning light:
Wild mustards are controversial native plants. They can be seen as beautiful wildflowers / they can be seen as invasive weeds; they are loved by many pollinators (especially bees) / they are hated by some gardeners; they can be intriguing additions to the diet / they can make some people gag. And, the various species can drive me crazy trying to tell them apart.
The plant shown here, I think, is Rape or Field Mustard (Brassica rapa), although it just might be one of several other New England mustards based on some field guide descriptions. Rape reportedly is not only a quintessential mustard, it also is a “model organism” for biological research along with the fruit fly and house mouse. (Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on June 1 and 2, 2024.)