“U”nsung heroes

Photo by Diane Weidenbenner.

Why is it that all the carefully plotted, planted beauties get all the glory? Rose bushes and Geraniums are majestic! Zinnias and Hydrangea have character, color and class.

However, it is sometimes the unsung heroes of the field that give us pleasure as we drive by on a Sunday jaunt, like the frothy blanket of yellow against a green, leafy background. Is it a wild mustard plant or rapeseed? I’m never quite sure.

It’s more prevalent in some fields over others. And, it seems to grow, and multiply without a lot of human effort or forethought. In doing a bit of research on the Internet, it seems that Canola, a type of rapeseed, is a member of the mustard family and can reach 3-to-5 feet, with bright yellow flowers in the spring. It does indeed grow in Indiana. The seed is known to contain 40 percent oil with a residual animal feed meal of up to 38 percent crude protein.

My question is, it seems to grow so randomly and without gentle care – is this true? Or is it a carefully cultivated crop like corn or soybeans and counted on by farmers for a healthy harvest and annual revenue?