Heart-podded Hoary Cress
Lepidium draba
Also listed as Cardaria draba, Cochlearia draba
Also known as Tall Whitetop, Hoary Cress, Whitetop
Climate Match for your location
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Heart-podded Hoary Cress is an aggressive, drought-tolerant perennial with gray-green foliage and small white flowers followed by distinctive heart-shaped seed pods. It is considered invasive in many regions and spreads rapidly via seed and root fragments.
Why grow it
Heart-podded Hoary Cress offers rapid ground coverage and drought tolerance once established, traits useful for erosion control or stabilization in arid settings where few alternatives perform well. Compared to native drought-tolerant perennials, it requires minimal water and maintenance. However, its aggressive spreading habit and prolific seeding make it better suited to contained or isolated sites rather than integrated plantings.
Watch out for
This plant spreads vigorously from seed, so deadheading spent flower clusters before pod maturation reduces volunteer seedlings. Root fragments can regenerate new shoots, making mechanical removal difficult without careful follow-up. In borderline climates, monitor its spread to prevent unexpected colonization of adjacent garden areas.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Brassicaceae
Native Range
Mediterranean and Central Asia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Heart-podded Hoary Cress is an aggressive, drought-tolerant perennial with gray-green foliage and small white flowers followed by distinctive heart-shaped seed pods. It is considered invasive in many regions and spreads rapidly via seed and root fragments.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Heart-podded Hoary Cress grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Heart-podded Hoary Cress offers rapid ground coverage and drought tolerance once established, traits useful for erosion control or stabilization in arid settings where few alternatives perform well. Compared to native drought-tolerant perennials, it requires minimal water and maintenance. However, its aggressive spreading habit and prolific seeding make it better suited to contained or isolated sites rather than integrated plantings.
Watch out for
This plant spreads vigorously from seed, so deadheading spent flower clusters before pod maturation reduces volunteer seedlings. Root fragments can regenerate new shoots, making mechanical removal difficult without careful follow-up. In borderline climates, monitor its spread to prevent unexpected colonization of adjacent garden areas.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Brassicaceae
Native Range
Mediterranean and Central Asia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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