Pronounced (approximate): DRAY-bah VER-nah
Tiny white flowers have four deeply notched petals. Leaves form a small basal rosette.
Spring Whitlow-grass (Draba verna): field photograph. Tap the photo to open the gallery.
Family Brassicaceae
Life cycle Annual
Blooms April – May
Height 2 to 6 inches
Habitat part shade, sun; disturbed soil; lawns, fields, waste places, roadsides
Common names: Spring Whitlow-grass
Bloom timing varies with latitude, weather and local conditions.
Explore reported observations. Sightings are not a complete range map.
part shade, sun; disturbed soil; lawns, fields, waste places, roadsides. Flowering season: April – May.
Despite the common name, this is a mustard, not a grass. Its leafless flowering stalks and split petals help distinguish it.
Tiny white flowers have four deeply notched petals.
Leaves form a small basal rosette.
Thin leafless stalks bear flattened oval seed pods. Pair close views with a photograph of the whole plant.
4 field photographs. Select a photograph to enlarge it; use Load more photos to see the rest.
Introduced in North America; native to Europe.
Reported U.S. distribution
AL, AR, CA, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, MS, MT, NC, NH, NJ, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY
Includes native and introduced state records where listed; a state record does not imply occurrence in every county.
Observation maps show submitted records, not every place the plant occurs. Follow local access rules when visiting a site.
Practice recognizing Spring Whitlow-grass in the flower quiz, or compare it with other plants in the guide.
Field photographs: Where’s Wildlife.