Shores, railroads, dumps, fields, and disturbed ground. An Old World species sometimes cultivated for leafy greens or for the seeds as a source of oil or condiment, but also known as a weed. First collected in 1860 in Lenawee Co.

Like B. nigra, much less common than often supposed (or misidentified!), perhaps declining as a result of stricter control of agricultural seed quality (reducing contaminants) and improved cultivation methods.