Boechera breweri subsp. breweri
Brewer's rockcress, Brewer's Rockcress
Photo: parent species Boechera breweri · (c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Boechera breweri subsp. breweri (Brewer's rockcress) is a native California subshrub in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by Short stems (0.6-2 dm); fruit pedicels <9 mm, hairy.
Brewer's rockcress is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada foothills, Sutter Buttes, San Francisco Bay Area, inner South Coast Ranges, and western Transverse Ranges on rocky outcrops, ledges, and talus at elevations of 300 to 2,300 meters. Flowering from March to July, this plant produces small white to pale lavender flowers in compact clusters. Growing with slender stems 6 to 20 centimeters tall, it forms delicate, upright clumps with fine, hairy stems. Its leaves are typically narrow and elongated, arranged alternately along the stem, with a soft, slightly fuzzy texture. The small, delicate fruits are characterized by short, hairy pedicels less than 9 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Short stems (0.6-2 dm); fruit pedicels <9 mm, hairy
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky outcrops, ledges, talus
Elevation: 300-2300 m
California counties: Santa Clara, Monterey, Glenn, Mendocino, Contra Costa, Siskiyou, Sutter, San Benito, Trinity, Butte, Placer, Shasta, Nevada, Lake, Napa, Plumas, Sonoma, Ventura, Tehama, Tuolumne, Merced, Colusa
Outside California: southwestern Oregon
Bloom period
Boechera breweri subsp. breweri blooms Mar-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Arabis: Boechera pods hang downward or curve and are wider (2mm+); Arabis pods stand rigidly erect and are narrower.; vs Matthiola: Boechera has flattened pods; Matthiola has cylindrical pods and densely hairy gray-green foliage.; vs Streptanthus: Boechera petals narrow gradually without a claw; Streptanthus petals have a distinct narrow claw at base.; vs Penstemon: Boechera has four-petaled flowers and seed pods; Penstemon has tubular five-lobed flowers.; vs Caulanthus: Boechera is perennial with a woody base; Caulanthus is typically annual or biennial without a woody caudex.
Frequently asked questions
Is Boechera breweri subsp. breweri native to California?
Yes. Boechera breweri subsp. breweri is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Boechera breweri subsp. breweri bloom?
Boechera breweri subsp. breweri blooms Mar-Jul.
Where in California does Boechera breweri subsp. breweri grow?
Boechera breweri subsp. breweri occurs in Santa Clara, Monterey, Glenn, Mendocino, Contra Costa, Siskiyou, Sutter, San Benito and other counties, at elevations of 300-2300 m.
What plant family does Boechera breweri subsp. breweri belong to?
Boechera breweri subsp. breweri is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Boechera.
What habitat does Boechera breweri subsp. breweri grow in?
Boechera breweri subsp. breweri grows in Rocky outcrops, ledges, talus.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.