SimplePlant

Brassicaceae

Shepherd's purse

Capsella bursa-pastoris Medik.

Family
Brassicaceae
Genus
Capsella

Pets and kids

  • CatsNot sure
  • DogsNot sure
  • KidsNot sure
Why

Cats: Not sure

We found no reliable source on this plant for cats, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with your vet.

Dogs: Not sure

We found no reliable source on this plant for dogs, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with your vet.

Kids: Not sure

We found no reliable source on this plant for young children, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with a doctor or poison control.

Ate some? Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply). For a child, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). If they are struggling to breathe or collapse, call 911. Don't give anything by mouth unless a vet or poison expert tells you to.

Shepherd's purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)
FlowerPhoto: zebedeugalinha, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist

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Common names

By language (70)
Afrikaans
Geldbeursie, Herderstassie, Wagter-se-sakkie, Wintersbossie
Arabic
كيس الراعي, کیس الراعي
arz
كيس الراعى
Asturian
Bolsa de pastor
Azerbaijani
Adi quşəppəyi, Çobançantası
Basque
Artzain-zaku
Belarusian
Стрэлкі звычайныя, Грачыха палявая, Сірыкі, Чарвец, Чарвічнік
Bulgarian
Овчарска торбичка
Catalan
Sarronets de pastor, Bosses de pastor
Chinese
荠菜, 薺菜, 芥菜, 荠, 荠菜子, 荠菜花, 菱角菜, 薺
Croatian
Rusomača
cv
Ахаль кĕтӳç хутаçĕ
Czech
Kokoška pastuší tobolka
Danish
Almindelig Hyrdetaske
Dutch
Herderstasje, Beursjeskruid, Bloedkruid, Eendepootjes, Ganzetongen, Gewoon herderstasje, Lepels en vorken, Lepeltjesdief
English
Shepherd's purse, Shepherd's-purse
Estonian
Hiirekõrv, Harilik hiirekõrv
Filipino
Bulsa ng pastol, C bursa pastoris, C bursa-pastoris, C bursapastoris, C. bursa pastoris, C. bursa-pastoris, C. bursapastoris, Capsela
Finnish
Lutukka, Rikkalutukka
French
Bourse-à-pasteur commune
frr
Snoot
Galician
Panqueixo, Herba dos montes
Georgian
Წიწმატურა
German
Gewöhnliches Hirtentäschel, Gemeines Hirtentäschen, Bauernsenf, Gewöhnliches Hirtentäschelkraut, Herzkraut, Löffeli, Schinkenkraut, Schneiderbeutel
Hebrew
ילקוט הרועים
hsb
Wutrobičkojte wačoški, Husyča stopa, Karnawa, Kuše ničo, Maćerne cycki, Wačoškate zelo
Hungarian
Pásztortáska, Közönséges pásztortáska
Irish
Lus an sparáin
Italian
Borsa del pastore, Borsa di pastore, Borsa pastore
Japanese
ナズナ, なずな, ぺんぺん草, ペンペングサ, ペンペン草, 薺
kab
Ceṛṛegḍiḍ
kbd
Ашэмыхъэ
Korean
냉이, 나생이
ks
کرٛالہٕ مۆنٛڈ
Kurdish
Nivîştîlok
kw
Pors bugel
Kyrgyz
Койчу баштык
Lithuanian
Trikertė žvaginė
Luxembourgish
Beidelschneider, Hiertskraitchen, Täschekraitchen
lzh
薺
Macedonian
Овчарска торбичка, Овчарско торбиче
mnc
ᠠᠪᡠᡥᠠ
mwl
Serralha
nds
Lepeldiefjen
Norwegian Bokmål
Gjetertaske
Norwegian Nynorsk
Gjetartaske
pcd
Bourse-éd-bérqhé, Bourse-à-bérqhé, Bourse-éd-qhurèi, Bourséte, Clèi-du-cieu, Iérpe às tassétes, Iérpe éd bòn pasteur, Maléte-éd-bérqhé
Persian
کیسه کشیش, کیسهٔ کشیش
Polish
Tasznik pospolity
Portuguese
Bolsa-de-pastor, Arranca-pedra, Bolsa de pastor, Serrão de pastor
Romanian
Traista-ciobanului
Russian
Пастушья сумка обыкновенная, Пастушья сумка гирканская, Сумочник пастуший
sah
Маныыһыт суумката
Serbian
Хоћу-нећу, Русомача, Тарчужак
Serbian (Latin)
Rusomača, Hoću-neću
sgs
Žvagėnē
Slovak
Kapsička pastierska, Kokoška, Kolduška, Pastierska tobolka, Taška
Slovenian
Navadni plešec
Southern Sotho
Sebitsa
Spanish
Bolsa de pastor, Bolsa del pastor, Botilla, Cucliyo, Devanaera, Devanaeras, Herba dos dentes, Hierba del cangrejo
Swedish
Lomme, Lommeört
Tajik
Ҷаҷак
Turkish
Çobançantası, Çoban çantası
Ukrainian
Грицики звичайні
Uzbek
Jagʻ-jagʻ
Walloon
Malete-di-bierdjî, Palete-di-bierdjî, boûsse-di-bierdjî
Welsh
Pwrs y bugail, Llysiau tryfal
Western Frisian
Leppeltsjeblom, Dûbeltsjedief, Einepoat, Leppeltsjedief
wuu
荠菜
zza
Nanê mıriçıkan

Synonyms

  • Bursa abscissa Druce
  • Bursa alandica (Almq.) Druce
  • Bursa anglica (E.B.Almq.) Druce
  • Bursa astoris [Weber,]
  • Bursa batavorum (Almq.) Druce
  • Bursa belgica (Almq.) Druce
  • Bursa bremensis (E.B.Almq.) Druce
  • Bursa brittonii Druce
  • Bursa bursa-pastoris (L.) Shafer
  • Bursa bursa-pastoris Britton
  • Bursa bursa-pastoris var. heteris Shull
  • Bursa bursa-pastoris var. integrifolia Farw.
  • Bursa bursa-pastoris var. minor Farw.
  • Bursa bursa-pastoris var. rhomboidea Shull
  • Bursa bursa-pastoris var. simplex (Hus) Shull
  • Bursa bursa-pastoris var. tenuis Shull
  • Bursa concava (E.B.Almq.) Druce
  • Bursa divaricata (Walp.) Kuntze
  • Bursa djurdjurae Shull
  • Bursa druceana Druce
  • Bursa fracticruris Borbás
  • Bursa gallica Druce
  • Bursa germanica (E.B.Almq.) Druce
  • Bursa grossa (E.B.Almq.) Druce
  • Bursa heegeri (Solms) Shull
  • Bursa hiatula (E.B.Almq.) Druce
  • Bursa integrella (E.B.Almq.) Druce
  • Bursa laevigata (E.B.Almq.) Druce
  • Bursa mediterranea (E.B.Almq.) Druce
  • Bursa nana Borbás
  • Bursa occidentalis Shull
  • Bursa occidentalis subsp. madeirae Shull
  • Bursa occidentalis var. concava Shull
  • Bursa orientalis Shull
  • Bursa origo Druce
  • Bursa pastoris Weber ex F.H.Wigg.
  • Bursa patagonica Druce
  • Bursa penarthae Shull
  • Bursa pergrossa Druce
  • Bursa robusta Druce

and 226 more.

Flowers

In flower
February to May (from 6,952 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)

Characteristics

Growth habit
Forb/herb
Lifespan
Annual
In the US and Canada
Alaska: introduced, Canada: introduced, Greenland: introduced, Hawaii: introduced, Lower 48 states: introduced, St. Pierre and Miquelon: introduced

Photos

More in Capsella

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.