Species Holboell's Rockcress
white flowers, lime buds and green leaves on a light-green stem

Holboell's Rockcress

Boechera holboellii

Holboell's Rockcress (Boechera holboellii) is a plant species native to meadows and alpine zones of the Rocky Mountains. The plant has delicate blue-green, deeply divided leaves, and bright yellow flowers which are 1/4-1/3 inch in size. The stems are hairy and sticky, and tend to grow anywhere from 1-2 feet in height. In the spring Holboell's Rockcress produces abundant blooms, making it ideal for flower gardens and lawns, and in the summer the flowers dry up and adhere to the stem before fading away. It requires moist soil and some shade for optimum growth. Care should be taken to note that it does not spread aggressively or take over other plants.

Watering:

Minimal

Propagation:

Seed Propagation,Cutting,Division,Layering Propagation

Hardiness Zone:

Sun:

full sun,part shade

Leaf:

Yes

Leaf Color:

green

Growth Rate:

Low

Drought Tolerant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Care Level:

Medium

watering

This robust alpine plant species requires minimal watering and thrives with a drier environment. During the growth period, water Holboell’s Rockcress every 3-4 weeks, adding enough water until the soil is damp but not soggy. Avoid overwatering to prevent plant rot. During the dormant winter period, water approximately once a month or less if temperatures drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

sunlight

Holboell's Rockcress (Boechera holboellii) flourishes best in full sunlight; however, the plant is fairly tolerant when it comes to sunlight and will still grow well with some partial shade. Generally, it is best to give Holboell's Rockcress at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. Holboell's Rockcress should preferably get the 6 sunlight hours in the morning to allow it to dry out throughout the rest of the day. This will help to prevent the plant from succumbing to diseases associated with high humidity.

pruning

Holboell's Rockcress should be pruned once a year, preferably in either the late fall or early spring. Generally, pruning should only remove the flower stems once they have ceased blooming. Since Holboell's Rockcress will generally self-seed if left alone, pruning not only promotes bushiness of the plant and helps keep it looking neat, but also facilitates easy removal and clear paths for weeding if necessary. It is important to only remove flower stems and not leave bare, stubby branches to avoid breakage in strong wind or direct sunlight.