Boechera californica
California rockcress
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Boechera californica (California rockcress) is a native California perennial in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by pendant fruits are highly diagnostic.
California rockcress is a California native perennial found in central coastal and southwestern California bioregions in rocky slopes and gravelly soil within chaparral and oak woodland at elevations of 350 to 2,300 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces purple to pink flowers with petals 9 to 14 millimeters long in dense clusters of 30 to 120 blooms. Growing with erect stems over 35 centimeters tall emerging from a woody caudex, it has distinctive short-stalked hairs with 2 to 4 rays on its lower stems. Its basal leaves are 3 to 13 millimeters wide, entire or minutely dentate, with short-stalked 4 to 8-rayed hairs covering the surface. The fruit develops as a long, pendulous pod 6 to 12 centimeters in length, containing 140 to 180 seeds arranged in a single row.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 15 sympatric species; pendant fruits are highly diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky slopes, gravelly soil, in chaparral, oak woodland
Elevation: 350-2300 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, Kern, Tulare, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, El Dorado, Modoc
Outside California: Mexico
Bloom period
Boechera californica blooms Mar-Jun.
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 californica native to California?
Yes. Boechera californica is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Boechera californica bloom?
Boechera californica blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Boechera californica grow?
Boechera californica occurs in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, Kern, Tulare, Ventura, San Luis Obispo and other counties, at elevations of 350-2300 m.
What plant family does Boechera californica belong to?
Boechera californica is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Boechera.
What habitat does Boechera californica grow in?
Boechera californica grows in Rocky slopes, gravelly soil, in chaparral, oak woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.