Lower montane through alpine. Woodlands, openings, meadows. Spring, summer.
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 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.  Candytuft often begins flowering when only one inch tall and the flower stalk elongates and continues to produce flowers as the plant matures.

Seed pods, shown below, help to identify Noccaea montana, 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.) 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 accepts Noccaea montana, the name given it in 1973 by Friedrich Karl Meyer but Kartesz recently changed his accepted name of Noccaea montana to Noccaea fendleri subspecies glauca. based on new (2004) research by Brassicaceae experts Al-Shehbaz and Koch.

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. montana.

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.

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 montana (Noccaea fendleri subspecies glauca)