Shepardscress: A Small but Mighty Annual for Rock Gardens and Natural Spaces
If you’re looking for a delicate, low-maintenance annual that thrives in challenging conditions, shepardscress (Teesdalia) might just surprise you. This unassuming little plant may not win any beauty contests, but it has a charm all its own and some pretty impressive survival skills.
What Exactly is Shepardscress?
Shepardscress is an annual forb – basically a non-woody plant that completes its entire life cycle in one growing season. It’s part of the mustard family and forms low-growing rosettes that hug the ground, making it perfect for tucking into tight spaces where other plants might struggle.
Originally from Europe and western Asia, this hardy little plant has made itself at home across much of North America. You’ll find it growing wild from coast to coast, thriving in places where many other plants would throw in the towel.
Where You’ll Find It Growing
Shepardscress has established itself across a impressive range of states including British Columbia, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington. It’s quite the traveler!
Should You Plant Shepardscress in Your Garden?
Here’s the thing about shepardscress – it’s not native to North America, but it’s also not considered invasive in most areas. This puts it in that middle ground where the choice is really up to you and your gardening goals.
Reasons You Might Want to Grow It:
- Extremely low maintenance – practically grows itself
- Thrives in poor soils where other plants struggle
- Provides delicate white flowers that attract small pollinators
- Perfect for rock gardens and naturalized areas
- Self-seeds readily for continuous coverage
- Drought tolerant once established
Reasons You Might Skip It:
- Not native, so it doesn’t support local ecosystems as well as native alternatives
- Can self-seed aggressively in ideal conditions
- Small flowers may not provide the visual impact some gardeners want
Growing Shepardscress Successfully
If you decide to give shepardscress a try, you’ll be happy to know it’s incredibly easy to grow. This plant actually prefers the challenging conditions that make other gardeners pull their hair out.
Ideal Growing Conditions:
- Well-drained soils (it actually prefers poor, sandy, or rocky soils)
- Full sun to partial shade
- USDA hardiness zones 3-9
- Areas with some disturbance or naturalized spaces
Planting and Care Tips:
- Scatter seeds directly in fall or early spring
- No need to pamper – this plant likes it rough
- Water lightly until established, then let nature take over
- Deadhead if you want to prevent excessive self-seeding
- Perfect for areas where you want low-maintenance ground cover
Wildlife and Pollinator Benefits
While shepardscress won’t attract large, showy butterflies, its small white flowers do provide nectar for tiny pollinators like small bees, flies, and other beneficial insects. Every little bit helps when it comes to supporting pollinator populations!
Native Alternatives to Consider
If you’re leaning toward supporting native ecosystems (and we totally get that!), consider these native alternatives that offer similar benefits:
- Wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) for ground cover
- Small-flowered alumroot (Heuchera micrantha) for rock gardens
- Native sedums for drought tolerance and rock garden appeal
The Bottom Line
Shepardscress is one of those plants that won’t win any garden show prizes, but it fills a specific niche beautifully. If you have challenging growing conditions, want something virtually maintenance-free, and don’t mind a non-native plant, it could be a great addition to naturalized areas or rock gardens. Just keep an eye on its self-seeding tendencies and consider native alternatives for your main garden spaces.
Sometimes the most unassuming plants turn out to be exactly what we need – and shepardscress just might be that reliable, no-fuss friend your garden has been waiting for.
