Shepherd's Purse

Shepherd's Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)

Shepherd's purse is a small herbaceous plant in the mustard family (Brassicaceae), easily recognized by its distinctive heart- or purse-shaped seedpods that inspired its common name. Native to eastern Europe and western Asia, it has naturalized throughout much of the world, where it is often found growing as a common field and garden weed. Archaeological evidence, including seeds discovered in a Neolithic settlement in Turkey, suggests it has been used for thousands of years.

The plant forms a basal rosette of leaves that gives rise to an upright flowering stem with tiny white, four-petaled flowers. Traditionally, the entire aerial portion of the plant has been used in folk herbalism and is commonly prepared as a tea, tincture, or included in herbal formulations. Shepherd's purse remains a well-respected botanical with a long history of traditional use.