Boechera platysperma
Pioneer rockcress
(c) Tim Messick, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Boechera platysperma (Pioneer rockcress) is a native California subshrub in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by . Key features: very large winged seeds, wide pods with wavy edges.
Pioneer rockcress is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, high Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, southern Great Basin, and Great Basin in rock outcrops and gravelly soils within dry pine and lodgepole-chaparral woodlands at elevations of 1,600 to 3,000 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces white to purple flowers 4 to 6 millimeters long with petals approximately 1 to 2 millimeters wide. Growing 6 to 35 centimeters tall with a woody caudex, it develops stems with short-stalked, 2 to 5-rayed hairs near the base. Its basal leaves are 3 to 10 millimeters wide, entire, and covered with short-stalked branched hairs, while cauline leaves are sparse and become increasingly glabrous toward the stem tips. The fruit is distinctive, with ascending pods 2.5 to 8.5 centimeters long and 3 to 5.5 millimeters wide, featuring wavy, non-parallel edges.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 46 sympatric species. Key features: very large winged seeds, wide pods with wavy edges
Habitat and range
Habitat: rock outcrops, gravelly soil, in dry pine forest, lodgepole-chaparral woodland
Elevation: 1600-3000 m
Outside California: Oregon
Bloom period
Boechera platysperma blooms Jun-Aug.
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 platysperma native to California?
Yes. Boechera platysperma is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Boechera platysperma bloom?
Boechera platysperma blooms Jun-Aug.
What plant family does Boechera platysperma belong to?
Boechera platysperma is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Boechera.
What habitat does Boechera platysperma grow in?
Boechera platysperma grows in rock outcrops, gravelly soil, in dry pine forest, lodgepole-chaparral woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.