# Common Whitlowgrass (*Draba verna*) Common Whitlowgrass is a small, cheerful plant that blooms with pretty yellow flowers in spring. It loves to grow in grassy places and can even pop up in your backyard! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Common Whitlowgrass](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Erophila_verna_2013.JPG&width=800) Photo: Victor M. Vicente Selvas, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Erophila_verna_2013.JPG) ## Appearance The Common Whitlowgrass is a tiny annual plant with a basal rosette of narrow, hairy grey-green leaves. It produces very small, white, four-petaled flowers on leafless stems. These flowers often appear like a dusting of snow on the ground. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Brassicales - **Family:** Brassicaceae - **Genus:** Draba ## Interesting facts - Each tiny flower has exactly four petals, perfectly arranged like a miniature white cross! - Its old name, 'whitlowgrass,' comes from a belief it could cure a finger infection! - This plant is one of the very first flowers to pop up, often when it's still cold outside! - You could fit several of its flowers on your pinky fingernail – they are incredibly small! ## Special abilities - **Speedy Sprouter:** Common Whitlowgrass can sprout and flower incredibly fast in early spring, helping it complete its life cycle before larger plants take over. - **Cold Conqueror:** Common Whitlowgrass can tolerate chilly temperatures, which helps it be one of the very first plants to bloom in spring. - **Seed Spreader:** Common Whitlowgrass has tiny, lightweight seeds that are easily carried by wind or water, helping it spread to new places. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 2-10 cm - **Spread:** 5-15 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.4 cm - **Bloom Season:** Early Spring - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Orange-tailed Mining Bee (*Andrena haemorrhoa*) — Visits early spring flowers for nectar. - **Eats:** Grey Field Slug (*Deroceras reticulatum*) — Feeds on its small leaves and shoots. - **Symbiotic with:** European Fire Ant (*Myrmica rubra*) — Carries its seeds to new places to grow. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Biennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/biennial): Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants unless you know they are safe! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Common Whitlowgrass? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Common Whitlowgrass? 2-10 cm ### How wide does Common Whitlowgrass spread? 5-15 cm ### How big are the flowers on Common Whitlowgrass? 0.2-0.4 cm ### When does Common Whitlowgrass bloom? Early Spring ### Is Common Whitlowgrass edible? Yes ### Is Common Whitlowgrass toxic? None ### What is Common Whitlowgrass's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Grand Coulee](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/grand-coulee) — Washington, US · Natural Landmark ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Common Whitlowgrass: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-whitlowgrass)