Rock Cress

Arabis

* historic archive photo

Arabis alpina ( Alpine Rock Cress )
A dwarf, evergreen perennial, reaching a maximum size of 16 inches x 2 feet.
The foliage is silvery-gray.
The pure white flowers are borne mid to late spring.
Hardy zones 4 to 7

Arabis blepharophylla ( Coast Rock Cress )
A very attractive, spreading, tufted perennial, reaching a maximum size of 1 x 5 feet, that is native to coastal central California.
The fuzzy, stiff, obovate leaves, up to 3 inches in length, are green.
The sweetly fragrant, white or pink, 4-petalled flowers are borne during spring.
Hardy zones 5 to 9 in full sun on well drained soil. It is moderately drought tolerant. It may be somewhat short-lived but self seeds easily.

'Spring Charm'
Showy, intense rose-pink flowers, on a compact plant, reaching up to 1 x 2 feet at most.

Arabis caucasica ( Caucasian Rock Cress )
Also called Arabis albida. A fast growing, low, spreading, semi-evergreen, bushy perennial, reaching a maximum size of 16 inches x 4 feet. It looks great on banks or trailing over walls. It is native to the Caucasus Mountains in western Asia as well as northern Iran.
The toothed, elliptical leaves, up to 4 x 1.7 inches, are mid-green.
The abundant, white flowers, up to 0.8 inches wide, are borne early spring into early summer. Sporadic blooms may appear later in the summer.
Hardy zones 3 to 7 in full sun to partial shade on very well drained soil. It is moderately drought tolerant. Shear lightly after blooming to encourage fresh growth.

* photos taken on May 14 2012 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on July 30 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on may 16 2023 in Columbia, MD

* historic archive photos

'Coccinea'
Compact in habit, reaching up to 8 x 20 inches, with deep red flowers.

'Compinkie'
Vigorous but compact and low, reaching a maximum size of 10 inches x 2 feet.
The persistent flowers are pink.

'Plena'
Also called 'Flore Pleno'. Very showy, double, pure-white flowers over a much longer season, otherwise identical. It does not produce seed.

'Rosabella'
Compact in habit, reaching up to 8 x 20 inches, with pink flowers.

'Snowcap'
A low, evergreen perennial, reaching a maximum size of 1 x 4 feet.
The woolly leaves are gray.
The white flowers are borne during spring.
Hardy zones 4 to 8.

'Variegata'
Green foliage is boldly edged in creamy-white.
The flowers are pink or white.
Prune out any stems with all green foliage.

Arabis ferdinandi-cobergii
A creeping but not invasive, evergreen, mat-forming perennial, reaching a maximum size of 10 ( rarely over 6 ) inches x 1.5 feet, that is native to Greece.
The white flowers are borne on umbels during early to mid spring.
Hardy zones 3 to 7 in full sun on very well drained soil. Drought tolerant.
It is generally easy to grow.

'Old Gold'
Reaching a maximum size of 6 inches x 1.5 feet, with golden-yellow variegation.
The flowers are white.

'Variegata'
Reaches up to 1 x 2 feet, with glossy deep green foliage that is boldly edged in white. The foliage variegation sometimes turns pinkish during winter.
The flowers are white.

Arabis procurrens 'Glacier'
A flat, low, mat-forming,evergreen perennial, reaching a maximum size of 1 x 2 feet, that is native to mountains of southeastern Europe.
The leaves, up to 1.5 inches in length, are deep green.
The white flowers are borne mid to late spring.
Hardy zones 3 to 7 in full sun on very well drained soil. Drought tolerant.

Arabis x sturii
A low, mat-forming perennial, reaching up to 4 inches in height, with glossy green foliage and large, white flowers borne mid spring to early summer.
Hardy zones 3 to 9 in full sun on well drained soil. It is moderately drought tolerant.