Boechera puberula
Silver rockcress
(c) Martin Purdy, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Boechera puberula (Silver rockcress) is a native California herb in the Brassicaceae family, recognized by . Key features: pendant appressed hairy fruits, eastern Sierra/Great Basin range.
Silver rockcress is a California native perennial found in eastern Sierra Nevada and Great Basin regions on ledges, rocky slopes, and gravelly hillsides at elevations of 1,300 to 2,900 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces delicate white to lavender flowers 5 to 9 millimeters long in compact clusters. Growing with slender stems 20 to 63 centimeters tall, it develops from a short-lived basal rosette with stems covered in short-stalked, multi-rayed hairs. Its leaves range from basal rosette leaves to numerous cauline leaves, with basal leaves 1.5 to 5 millimeters wide and occasionally dentate. The elongated fruit pods are closely pendent, measuring 3 to 6.5 centimeters long and covered with fine appressed hairs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 34 sympatric species. Key features: pendant appressed hairy fruits, eastern Sierra/Great Basin range
Habitat and range
Habitat: Ledges, rocky slopes, gravelly hillsides
Elevation: 1300-2900 m
California counties: Siskiyou, Modoc, Inyo, Alpine, Nevada, Tulare, Mono, Sierra, Plumas, Lassen, Kern
Outside California: to Oregon, Utah
Bloom period
Boechera puberula blooms Apr-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 puberula native to California?
Yes. Boechera puberula is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Boechera puberula bloom?
Boechera puberula blooms Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Boechera puberula grow?
Boechera puberula occurs in Siskiyou, Modoc, Inyo, Alpine, Nevada, Tulare, Mono, Sierra and other counties, at elevations of 1300-2900 m.
What plant family does Boechera puberula belong to?
Boechera puberula is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Boechera.
What habitat does Boechera puberula grow in?
Boechera puberula grows in Ledges, rocky slopes, gravelly hillsides.
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.