Boechera pinetorum
Woodland rockcress
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Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Boechera pinetorum (Woodland rockcress) is a native California perennial in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by . Key features: reflexed fruits recurved at base, tall stature, many cauline leaves.
Woodland rockcress is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges and Sierra Nevada Mountains on rock outcrops, gravelly soil, and open conifer forest at elevations of 1,100 to 3,200 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces white to lavender flowers 4 to 6 millimeters long with delicate, narrow petals. Growing 20 to 96 centimeters tall with stems emerging from a basal rosette, it has distinctive multi-rayed hairs on its lower stem and leaves. Its basal leaves are 2 to 11 millimeters wide, entire to minutely dentate, with short-stalked, multi-rayed hairs covering the surface. The fruit is a slender, reflexed silique 4.5 to 8.5 centimeters long, typically glabrous with 70 to 110 seeds arranged in a single row.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 33 sympatric species. Key features: reflexed fruits recurved at base, tall stature, many cauline leaves
Habitat and range
Habitat: rock outcrops, gravelly soil, in meadows, open conifer forest
Elevation: 1100-3200 m
California counties: Inyo, San Bernardino, El Dorado, Mono, Placer, Madera, Fresno, Nevada, Plumas, Alpine, Amador, Siskiyou, Tulare, Tuolumne, Trinity, Mariposa, Modoc, Lassen, Tehama, Sierra, Glenn, Shasta, Mendocino, San Diego
Outside California: to Oregon, Nevada
Bloom period
Boechera pinetorum blooms May-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 pinetorum native to California?
Yes. Boechera pinetorum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Boechera pinetorum bloom?
Boechera pinetorum blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Boechera pinetorum grow?
Boechera pinetorum occurs in Inyo, San Bernardino, El Dorado, Mono, Placer, Madera, Fresno, Nevada and other counties, at elevations of 1100-3200 m.
What plant family does Boechera pinetorum belong to?
Boechera pinetorum is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Boechera.
What habitat does Boechera pinetorum grow in?
Boechera pinetorum grows in rock outcrops, gravelly soil, in meadows, open conifer forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.