Flower profile

Wild radish

Raphanus raphanistrum

Wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) is a flowering plant in the Brassicaceae family, introduced in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–May across the U.S.

Not native to Rhode Island

Wild radish is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states.

42states where USDA records it

153RI sightings*

22,458U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Rhode Island

Quick look

Raphanus raphanistrum, also known as wild radish, white charlock or jointed charlock, is a flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae. The species is native to western Asia, Europe and parts of Northern Africa. It has been introduced into most parts of the world and is regarded as a habitat threatening invasive species in many areas, for example, Australia.
From Wikipedia's article Raphanus raphanistrum, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Brassicaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual, biennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 42 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as not native to Rhode Island. ^NatureServe
iNaturalist has 153 research-grade sightings of it in Rhode Island, ranking #104 among the 164 flowers on our Rhode Island list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (2,728 records)

There are only a handful of Rhode Island flowering records, so this chart uses records from across the U.S.

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. ^NatureServe
Rhode Island: Not listed Not on Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Rhode Island. ^{RI rare plants 2016}
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?

For peopleEdible (per NC State Extension)

NC State Extension notes: “Young leaves and seeds can be used in salads.” ^{NC State Extension}

For petsToxic to horses

ASPCA's entry “Wild Radish” (Raphanus raphanistrum) lists it as toxic to horses. Signs include: Gastrointestinal irritation… ^ASPCA

🌿 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 wild radish in 42 states.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin.

Rhode Island counties with USDA records: Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence, Washington.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Introduced; Greenland: Introduced; Hawaii: Introduced; Lower 48 states: Introduced; St. Pierre and Miquelon: Introduced.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 421 counties across 34 states; the most are in North Carolina (39), Virginia (34), Pennsylvania (31).

More from the Brassicaceae family (24 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Garlic mustard, Dame's rocket, Cut-leaved toothwort, Milkmaids, Annual honesty, Western wallflower, Hoary alyssum, European searocket.

More Rhode Island flowers

Garlic mustard

Alliaria petiolata

Introduced

🌼 Few flowering records in RI

Roses (genus Rosa)

Rosa

★ NY state flower🌷 Garden flower

🌼 Blooms in RI: June–August

Rugosa rose

Rosa rugosa

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in RI: June–August

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile RARA2.
iNaturalist, Raphanus raphanistrum: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Raphanus raphanistrum (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Rhode Island: Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Raphanus raphanistrum (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
Photo: Kent P. McFarland via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.