# Shepherd's Cress (*Teesdalia nudicaulis*)

Shepherd's Cress is a small, delicate plant with tiny white flowers. It often grows in grassy areas and is loved by little bugs and insects.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![Shepherd's Cress](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Teesdalia_nudicaulis1_eF.jpg&width=800)

Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Teesdalia_nudicaulis1_eF.jpg)

## Appearance

The Shepherd's Cress has a flat rosette of deeply lobed leaves at its base and slender stems. It produces tiny white flowers with four petals, often with two slightly larger than the others, making it distinct from many other small white flowers.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Brassicales
- **Family:** Brassicaceae
- **Genus:** Teesdalia

## Interesting facts

- Its scientific name, \*Teesdalia\*, honors a forgotten British botanist!
- Its seeds can wait years underground for perfect growing conditions!
- Its unique flowers have two large and two small petals, very rare!
- This plant thrives in dry, gravelly paths where others fail!

## Special abilities

- **Speedy Seeder:** Shepherd's Cress can quickly produce many seeds, helping it spread fast and colonize new, open areas.
- **Uneven Petals:** Shepherd's Cress has unique flowers with two larger petals and two smaller ones, which might help guide tiny insect visitors.
- **Drought Defender:** Shepherd's Cress can thrive in dry, sandy soils where many other plants struggle, thanks to its robust root system.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 5-20 cm
- **Spread:** 5-10 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.4 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring-early summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen
- **Eats:** painted lady butterfly (*Vanessa cardui*) — caterpillars feed on its leaves
- **Eaten by:** [black slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — slugs graze on its tender leaves

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Grass-Like](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grass-like): Grass-like plants are herbaceous plants that visually resemble true grasses, typically having long, narrow leaves.
- [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.
- [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind.
- [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 check with an adult before touching or tasting any plants.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Shepherd's Cress?

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 Shepherd's Cress?

5-20 cm

### How wide does Shepherd's Cress spread?

5-10 cm

### How big are the flowers on Shepherd's Cress?

0.2-0.4 cm

### When does Shepherd's Cress bloom?

Spring-early summer

### Is Shepherd's Cress edible?

Yes

### Is Shepherd's Cress toxic?

None

### What is Shepherd's Cress's lifecycle?

Annual

## Where to spot

- [Cheraw Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cheraw-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District

## 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*)

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Source: [Shepherd's Cress: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shepherds-cress)