Flower profile
Fendler's pennycress
Noccaea fendleri
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 March–July.
*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 March–July. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 2,293 research-grade sightings of it in Colorado, ranking #67 among the 110 flowers on our Colorado list. iNaturalist
Fendler's pennycress gift ideas
Handmade fendler's pennycress gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
-
Placeholder
Fendler's pennycress art print
-
Placeholder
Fendler's pennycress greeting card
-
Placeholder
Fendler's pennycress mug
-
Placeholder
Fendler's pennycress earrings
-
Placeholder
Fendler's pennycress embroidery pattern
-
Placeholder
Fendler's pennycress sticker
When does it bloom?
In Colorado, most flowering sightings come in March–July.
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?
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.
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.
More Colorado flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile NOFE3.
- iNaturalist, Noccaea fendleri: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Noccaea fendleri (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Colorado: Colorado noxious weed lists A, B and C (8 CCR 1206-2, eff. May 15, 2025).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Noccaea fendleri (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: John Powers via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.