Arabis sp.
Rockcress, Rockcress
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Perennial · Variable; species dependent
Arabis sp. (Rockcress) is a non-native California perennial in the Brassicaceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Boechera: Arabis pods are narrower (under 2mm vs 2mm+) and consistently straight; Boechera pods are often curved.; vs Matthiola: Arabis has stalked star-shaped hairs and erect narrow pods; Matthiola has soft unbranched hairs and stouter pods.; vs Raphanus: Arabis has tiny star-shaped hairs and thin erect pods; Raphanus has larger flowers and thick beaded pods.; vs Pelargonium: Arabis has four petals and narrow upright pods; Pelargonium has five petals and beak-like fruits.; vs Phlox: Arabis has four separate petals and seed pods; Phlox has fused tubular flowers and capsules.
Frequently asked questions
Is Arabis sp. native to California?
No. Arabis sp. is not native to California (recorded as variable; species dependent).
What plant family does Arabis sp. belong to?
Arabis sp. is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Arabis.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Arabis aculeolata — Waldo rockcress
- Arabis blepharophylla — Coast rockcress
- Arabis eschscholtziana — Eschscholtz's hairy rockcress
- Arabis mcdonaldiana — Mcdonald's rockcress
- Arabis modesta — Modest rockcress
- Arabis oregana — Oregon rockcress
- Armoracia rusticana — Horse radish
- Armoracia sp.
- Athysanus pusillus — Athysanus
- Athysanus sp.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.