Wallrocket (Diplotaxis): The Uninvited Garden Guest You Should Know About
If you’ve ever noticed small yellow flowers popping up in sidewalk cracks or along roadsides, you might have encountered wallrocket. This scrappy little plant has a knack for showing up where it wasn’t invited, and while it’s not exactly a garden villain, it’s probably not what you want to feature in your carefully planned landscape either.
What Exactly Is Wallrocket?
Wallrocket (Diplotaxis) is a non-native forb that originally hails from the Mediterranean region. It’s what botanists call a forb herb – essentially a soft-stemmed plant without woody tissue that can live for one year (annual), two years (biennial), or multiple years (perennial). Think of it as nature’s ultimate opportunist, ready to adapt its life cycle to whatever conditions it encounters.
Where You’ll Find This Persistent Plant
Wallrocket has made itself at home across an impressive range of North America. You can find it thriving in states from Alberta to Florida, and from British Columbia to Texas. It’s established populations in Alberta, Alabama, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Colorado, Prince Edward Island, Connecticut, Quebec, Delaware, Saskatchewan, District of Columbia, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Should You Plant Wallrocket in Your Garden?
Here’s the honest truth: most gardeners wouldn’t choose to plant wallrocket intentionally. While it’s not classified as invasive, it’s definitely what you’d call enthusiastic about spreading. This plant excels at colonizing disturbed soils and can quickly take over areas where you might prefer something more intentional.
What Wallrocket Brings to the Table
Before we completely dismiss this determined little plant, let’s acknowledge its few positive traits:
- Produces small yellow flowers that can attract pollinators like flies and small bees
- Extremely drought tolerant once established
- Thrives in poor soils where other plants struggle
- Requires absolutely no care or maintenance
Growing Conditions (If You’re Curious)
Wallrocket is remarkably unfussy about its living conditions. It actually prefers disturbed, poor soils and can handle drought like a champion. You’ll typically find it in waste areas, along roadsides, in vacant lots, and anywhere the soil has been recently disturbed. It’s hardy across USDA zones 3-9, adapting its growth pattern to local conditions.
Better Native Alternatives
If you’re looking for low-maintenance plants with small yellow flowers, consider these native alternatives instead:
- Wild mustard species native to your region
- Native sunflower varieties
- Regional wildflowers that support local ecosystems
- Native sedums for dry, challenging spots
Managing Wallrocket in Your Landscape
If wallrocket has already moved into your garden uninvited, early removal is your best strategy. Hand-pull young plants before they set seed, and be consistent – this plant can produce multiple generations in a single growing season. The key is catching it before it flowers and spreads.
The Bottom Line
While wallrocket isn’t going to destroy your local ecosystem, it’s also not going to win any awards for garden beauty or ecological benefit. Its superpower is persistence rather than charm. If you’re working on creating habitat for native wildlife or designing an intentional landscape, you’ll probably want to pass on this one and choose plants that offer more benefits to your local ecosystem.
Remember, every plant has its place – for wallrocket, that place is usually somewhere wild and weedy rather than in your carefully tended garden beds.
