Lower montane through alpine. Woodlands, openings, meadows. Spring, summer.
Above: Colorado Trail, June 19, 2015; near Lone Mesa State Park, April 28, 2022.
Left: Ryman Creek Trail, June 16, 2005.

Although a slim, small plant, Wild Candytuft is noticeable for several reasons: It often grows in large patches providing a carpet of white flowers (see the last photograph below); it commonly grows with few other plants around it; and you see it all spring and summer as it follows you in flower from low canyons and foothills early in the spring to high mountains and tundra all summer. 

As the photograph immediately above illustrates, Candytuft can (and often does) begin flowering when only one inch tall. The flower stalk elongates and continues to produce flowers as the plant matures. The photograph also shows how unusual and attractive the basal leaves and buds can be. Notice the unusual color of the leaves, so very similar to the color of the leaves of another common early spring flower, Physaria acutifolia. At first glance that is exactly what I thought I was looking at, but the circular crown of glistening white really puzzled me. Once I got down on my knees I finally recognized Noccaea fendleri.

Seed pods, shown below, help to identify Noccaea fendleri , as do the stem leaves, shown at left.

The genus name, "Noccaea", was given in 1802 by German botanist Conrad Moench (1744-1805) to honor the Italian clergyman and botanist, Domenico Nocca. (More biographical information about Nocca.) Our species was first named Thlaspi montana by Linnaeus in 1753.  It has undergone more than a dozen name changes since then, including Thlaspi coloradense in 1901 by Rydberg from a specimen collected by Bessey near Pikes Peak. Weber's 2012 edition of Colorado Flora accepts Noccaea fendleri as the correct name and indicates that Noccaea montana, the name given it in 1973 by Friedrich Karl Meyer, is for the "strictly Eurasian" species.

2004 research by Brassicaceae experts Al-Shehbaz and Koch indicated that the plant should be named Noccaea fendleri subspecies glauca.

Lower montane through alpine. Woodlands, openings, meadows. Spring, summer.
Ryman Creek Trail, June 16, 2005.

Flowers are intensely white with green to purple sepals.

Lower montane through alpine. Woodlands, openings, meadows. Spring, summer.
Horse Creek Trail, June 21, 2005.

The flattened shape of the seed pod, and its pointed tip, horizontal growth, and color are all key factors in identifying N. fendleri.

Lower montane through alpine. Woodlands, openings, meadows. Spring, summer.
Southwest of Lone Cone, May 7, 2010.

Lower montane through alpine. Woodlands, openings, meadows. Spring, summer.
Cinnamon Pass, August 1, 2007.

Pink flowers are uncommon and striking.  These alpine plants are just three inches tall.

Lower montane through alpine. Woodlands, openings, meadows. Spring, summer.
Sharkstooth Trail, June 25, 2008.

Lower montane through alpine. Woodlands, openings, meadows. Spring, summer.
Mesa, May 26, 2022.

A number of Mustard plant species, both wildflowers and commercially grown crops, are commonly infected with one of various species of Puccinia rust. See Boechera for more details.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Noccaea fendleri subspecies glauca