Brassica napus var. oleifera: Rape (Oilseed Rape)

Brassica napus var. oleifera, commonly known as Oilseed Rape, Rapeseed, or Canola (specifically low-erucic acid cultivars), is a bright yellow-flowering annual or biennial herb widely cultivated for its oil-rich seeds. It forms a rosette of large, lobed, blue-green leaves, from which rises a tall, branching stem (3-5 ft) bearing numerous four-petaled, cross-shaped yellow flowers. The flowers are followed by long, narrow seed pods (siliques) containing small, round, black seeds.

Plant Profile

Rape is a cool-season crop grown globally for vegetable oil, animal feed (meal), and biodiesel. It requires fertile, well-drained soil and adequate moisture. It is also used as a cover crop and green manure due to its deep taproot and biomass production. The vast yellow fields in bloom are a familiar sight in agricultural landscapes. It can escape cultivation and naturalize in disturbed areas.