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Rock Cress
Aubrieta
Also comes in blue, red, pink and white.
Rock Cress blooms from April through May.
This entry comes from our curated library and has not yet been independently checked against outside sources. Curated is not unreliable: a standing audit keeps every entry internally consistent, and the source-by-source check is working through the whole library in the open.
Growing Rock Cress
Plant it in full sun. It prefers low water. It is hardy in USDA zones 4–8. Expect it to reach about 4 in tall and 1.3 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 2 years.
When to plant Rock Cress
Plant Rock Cress in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. For the middle of its hardy zones 4 to 8 range, spring means March to May and fall means August or September. Once settled, it blooms from April to May.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 6 in March.
Good to know about Rock Cress
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Worth knowing
Rock cress names two different plants: Aubrieta, the purple or false rock cress, and Arabis, the true rock cress, usually white or pink. Check flower color and the label. per Wisconsin and Colorado State
Cool and moist, or dry?
The sources seem to clash: one calls it cool and moist, others drought resistant. The real rule is sharp drainage. Give gritty soil that never stays wet. per Wisconsin and RHS
Shear hard after bloom
Shear the whole mat back by about half right after the spring bloom. It keeps the mat dense and stops the center going bare and leggy. per Colorado State and RHS
Deer resistant
Listed among plants deer do not favor, and reported deer resistant. As with any such plant, very hungry deer may still sample it. per Wisconsin
Early nectar for pollinators
It blooms so early that it feeds bees and butterflies when little else is open. RHS marks it as beneficial for pollinators. per Minnesota and RHS
Short-lived in hot summers
It prefers cool conditions and struggles in hot, humid summers, where it tends to be short-lived. This, more than winter cold, sets its southern limit. per Wisconsin and RHS
What pairs well with Rock Cress
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Mullein
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; stands well above at 3.9 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Cosmos
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; stands well above at 3.3 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Russian Sage
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in midsummer, extending the bed's season; stands well above at 3.9 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Red Hot Poker
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; stands well above at 3.3 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Potentilla
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; taller at 3 ft, for the layer behind it.
Cleome
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; stands well above at 3.9 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Oregano
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; taller at 1.3 ft, for the layer behind it.
Lantana
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in early summer as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; taller at 1.6 ft, for the layer behind it.
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