SafePlants

No images found for this plant ID: 3163.

Ensure images are uploaded to the Media Library and tagged with "3163" in the "plant_image_tag" taxonomy.

Safe for Children?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Dogs?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Cats?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Reptiles?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

smooth rockcress

Scientific Name: Arabis laevigata var. laevigata

Family: Brassicaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Forb/herb

Duration: Biennial

Other Names:

       

Smooth Rockcress (Boechera laevigata)

Boechera laevigata, commonly known as smooth rockcress or smooth bankcress, is a flowering plant belonging to the mustard family (Brassicaceae).

Considerations for Pets

  • This plant produces pods.
  • The plant has been found to attract insects.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Boechera laevigata (Muhl. ex Willd.) Al-Shehbaz
  • Synonyms:
    • Arabis laevigata (Muhl. ex Willd.) Poir.
    • Borodinia laevigata (Muhlenberg ex Willdenow) P.J. Alexander & Windham
    • Arabis laevigata var. laevigata
  • Family: Brassicaceae (Mustard family)
  • Kingdom: Plantae

Distribution and Habitat

  • Native to many areas of the eastern United States.
  • Found in rocky woods, floodplains, and thickets.
  • Prefers rocky, high-pH sites.
  • Observed on Theodore Roosevelt Island, in Washington, D.C., USA.
  • Also found in Minnesota and most New England states, though not common.

Morphological Characteristics

  • Biennial plant.
  • In the first year, it forms a rosette of basal leaves that span about 6 inches across.
  • Basal leaves can grow up to 3 inches long.
  • Erect stems grow to 3 to 3-1/2 feet high, smooth, and green with minor branching.
  • Flowers are greenish-white or white, less than 0.5 cm in size, with 4 petals and 4 green sepals.
  • Fruits are curved and drooping pods, 8-10 cm long, spreading horizontally.
  • Stems and leaves are hairless and pale bluish-green.

Interactions with Other Organisms

  • The plant attracts insects.
  • Serves as an egg-laying host plant for the Falcate Orangetip butterfly.

Resources and Further Information

  • Discover Life: Provides information about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Boechera laevigata.
  • Wikimedia Commons: Contains images of Boechera laevigata.