Flower profile
Slimleaf plains-mustard
Hesperidanthus linearifolius
Slimleaf plains-mustard (Hesperidanthus linearifolius) is a low shrub in the Brassicaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly July–September across the U.S.
Slimleaf plains-mustard is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: New Mexico
Quick look
Hesperidanthus linearifolius, syn. Schoenocrambe linearifolia, is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family, known by the common names slimleaf plainsmustard, slimleaf purple mustard, and mountain mustard. It can be found in the western United States in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and west Texas, as well as in northern Mexico.
- It belongs to the Brassicaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 4 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to New Mexico. NatureServe
- iNaturalist has 728 research-grade sightings of it in New Mexico, ranking #80 among the 152 flowers on our New Mexico list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- New Mexico
- Not listed Not on New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Mexico. 19.21.2.9 NMAC
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records slimleaf plains-mustard in 4 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas.
New Mexico counties with USDA records: Catron, Cibola, Colfax, Dona Ana, Grant, Hidalgo, Lincoln, Los Alamos, McKinley, Mora, Quay, Rio Arriba, San Juan, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Sierra, Socorro, Taos, Valencia.
Names, range and relatives
Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Sisymbrium linearifolium, Thelypodiopsis linearifolia.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 46 counties across 4 states; the most are in New Mexico (20), Arizona (10), Colorado (9).
More from the Brassicaceae family (24 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Garlic mustard, Dame's rocket, Cut-leaved toothwort, Wild radish, Milkmaids, Annual honesty, Western wallflower, Hoary alyssum.
More New Mexico flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile SCLI12.
- iNaturalist, Hesperidanthus linearifolius: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Hesperidanthus linearifolius (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- New Mexico: New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC).
- New Mexico: New Mexico Noxious Weed List (NM Department of Agriculture, updated June 2020).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Hesperidanthus linearifolius (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Wendy McCrady via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.