Tower Mustard
Turritis glabra
Last reviewed: August 2026
Turritis glabra, or tower mustard, is a slender biennial forb that blooms from May through July, growing well in dry rocky soils, prairies, and open woodland edges with part shade to full sun.
Toxicity unknown
Tower Mustard (Turritis glabra) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
part shade
Water
medium
Size
12"–36" H × 4"–12" W
Bloom
May, Jun, Jul
Native to
AZ, CA, CO, CT and 33 more states
Pollinators
bees, beetles
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 452 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
Find rebates in your areaBrowse plants for this ecoregion
Tower mustard is a narrow, upright biennial that produces tall spikes of small white flowers from late spring through summer. This native wildflower forms a compact basal rosette in its first year, then sends up slender flowering stems that can reach up to 3 feet tall.
Growing Tower Mustard
Grow Tower Mustard in part shade and medium water. Mature plants reach 12 to 36 inches tall and spread 4 to 12 inches wide. Expect low maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.
In an HOA neighborhood
Tower Mustard takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: low. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.
Works well in: backyard only.
- Appearance is very wild and weedy
- Tall sparse growth looks unkempt
- Common name includes 'mustard' which has negative associations
Wildlife value
The flowers attract bees and beetles during the blooming period from May through July. As a member of the mustard family, it provides nectar for various native pollinators.
Common questions
- When does tower mustard bloom?
- Turritis glabra generally flowers from May through July, sending up tall spikes of small white to pale yellow blossoms above a basal rosette of leaves.
- What pollinates tower mustard?
- Bees and beetles are the insects most commonly seen visiting the small flowers of Turritis glabra during its spring and early summer bloom period.
- What light and water conditions does tower mustard need?
- Tower mustard tolerates full sun to part shade and does best with medium to low, well drained moisture, which fits its habit of growing on dry slopes and open ground.
- What kind of plant is tower mustard?
- Tower mustard is an herbaceous forb that behaves as a biennial, forming a low rosette of leaves the first year before sending up a tall flowering stalk the next.
- Is Tower Mustard HOA-friendly?
- Tower Mustard takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.
These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Tower Mustard? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
Planning a bed around it? Start a free plan with this plant
Not sure where to start? Take the 2-minute yard quiz