Bloomipedia
Fendler's pennycress (Noccaea fendleri)
Photo: John Powers via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Fendler's pennycress

Noccaea fendleri

Fendler's pennycress (Noccaea fendleri) is a flowering plant in the Brassicaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–July across the U.S.

Native to Colorado

Fendler's pennycress is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Colorado it's most often seen in bloom in May–July.

12states where USDA records it
2,293CO sightings*
3,730U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Colorado

Quick look

Noccaea fendleri more commonly known as wild candytuft and alpine pennycress is a wildflower in the mustard family from western North America. It grows in mountains from northern Mexico to the northern United States. It blooms early in the spring and provides nectar to butterflies.

  • It belongs to the Brassicaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 12 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Colorado. NatureServe
  • In Colorado, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–July. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,293 research-grade sightings of it in Colorado, ranking #67 among the 160 flowers on our Colorado list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In Colorado, most flowering sightings come in May–July.

Flowering records by month in Colorado (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (271 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
Colorado
No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Colorado.
Rare elsewhere
No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records fendler's pennycress in 12 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

Colorado counties with USDA records: Alamosa, Archuleta, Boulder, Chaffee, Clear Creek, Conejos, Custer, Delta, Dolores, Douglas, Eagle, El Paso, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Huerfano, Jackson, Jefferson, La Plata, Lake, Larimer, Las Animas, Mesa, Mineral, Moffat, Montezuma, Montrose, Ouray, Park, Pitkin, Rio Blanco, Rio Grande, Routt, Saguache, San Juan, San Miguel, Summit, Teller.

Names, range and relatives

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 192 counties across 12 states; the most are in Colorado (40), Utah (29), Idaho (28).

More from the Brassicaceae family (24 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Garlic mustard, Dame's rocket, Cut-leaved toothwort, Wild radish, Milkmaids, Annual honesty, Western wallflower, Hoary alyssum.

More Colorado flowers

Western wallflower (Erysimum capitatum)

Western wallflower

Erysimum capitatum

Native

🌼 Blooms in CO: May–July
Crossflower (Chorispora tenella)

Crossflower

Chorispora tenella

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in CO: March–June
Hoary alyssum (Berteroa incana)

Hoary alyssum

Berteroa incana

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in CO: June–September

Sources