The goose cress not only looks beautiful in the garden, you can even eat the flowers. The different varieties, which vary greatly in colour, provide a little more variety.
The goose cress (Arabis) is one of the cruciferous plants. The genus was first mentioned by Carl von Linné in 1753. Around 70 plant species occur worldwide. Around 30 different goose cress are native to Central Europe.
Some species occurring in Central Europe are presented here in more detail.
An overview of the 10 most beautiful varieties
» Blue cress
The blue watercress is a perennial plant that grows quite low and only reaches a maximum height of ten centimeters. The stems are hairy up to the inflorescences. The fleshy leaves arise from a rosette. The elongated leaves have cilia along their edges. The grape-shaped flowers appear whitish to blue-purple. The petals can reach lengths of up to five millimeters. The pods are a maximum of three centimeters long. The blue cress flowers between July and September.
The plant occurs only in the Alps, where it grows on rather damp ground at altitudes between 1,900 and 3,500 meters.
» Alpine goose cress
The Alpine goose cress is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows to a height of between 10 and 40 centimetres. The stems are branched. The oval basal leaves appear arranged in rosettes. Alpine goose cress flowers from spring to autumn. It is not uncommon for the plants to bear flowers in winter. Alpine goose cress has white flowers and develops pods that are about five centimeters long. The seeds are scattered on the snow.
» Tip: In this species of goose cress, a type of downy mildew was detected for the first time, which also affects other cruciferous plants. This mushroom is on the Red List in Saxony.
The plants love a calcareous soil and prefer to thrive on scree slopes or in rocky areas. The range of this species extends from Europe across eastern North America to Greenland. Deposits up to 2,400 meters have been proven in the Allgäu Alps.
»Rough-haired goose cress
In our latitudes, the rough-haired goose-cress is also known as hairy goose-cress or rough-haired goose-cress. The biennial plants form upright stems that are almost a meter high and grow out of a rosette. The leaves are close to the stems. Leaves and stems are densely hairy. The flowers appear at the end of the stems. The white petals can be up to seven centimeters long. The flowers appear in the months of May to June. The flowers form pods that are up to five centimeters long and contain the red-brown seeds.
The plants prefer calcareous soil and grow on embankments, on the edges of forests or in moorland. In the Allgäu Alps, deposits up to 2,000 meters can be found not far from the Gieselerwand.
» Arrow Cress
The arrow leaf goose cress grows perennial and can reach a height of about half a meter. Only a few stems are formed. The leaves are arrow-shaped and relatively long. The lower and middle stem leaves are hairy. The white flowers appear in May and delight the hobby gardener well into July. Up to 50 flowers can appear on one inflorescence. The pods grow to over two inches long and are erect and dense.
Arrow goose cress is native to almost all of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In Austria there are no occurrences in Vorarlberg. The occurrences are declining in the Bohemian Forest and in the northern foothills of the Alps. Arrowhead cress also grows in Asia.
» Umbrella goose cress
The umbel goose cress grows persistently and is one of the lowest species. The growth height varies between six and thirty centimeters. The leaves are hairy. The white flowers appear between May and July. If you plant the umbellifer goose cress, there will be a lot of bees in your garden. The sepals are often provided with a purple tip and reach a length of up to five centimeters. The pods are about two centimeters long and appear along the stem, which can be up to five centimeters long.
The umbelliferous goose cress is widespread in the Alps. The plants can be found on calcareous and stony ground up to altitudes of up to 2,200 meters. This species is rather rare in the foothills of the Alps. In addition to the Alps, the goose cress is also found in the Balkans, in the Apennines and in the Pyrenees.
» Week of a goose cress
This goose cress only occurs in the southern area of the Limestone Alps. The designationrefers to occurrences in the district of Wochein in the Julian Alps. The Wocheiner goose cress grows persistent and herbaceous. This variety only grows to a maximum height of 15 centimeters. If you want to keep an overview in the bed, the Wocheiner goose cress is the ideal plant because no runners are formed. The erect stems are hairy. The basal leaves are obovate in shape. The flowers are in dense clusters. The flowering period begins in June and lasts into July. The white petals can grow up to seven millimeters long.
Occurrences of the Wocheiner goose cress are only found in the Southern Limestone Alps. This species can be found in southern Carinthia or in Slovenia.
» Ears of goose cress
The eared goose cress is one of the few annual goose cress plants. The growth height is a maximum of 40 centimeters. During the flowering period, the basal leaves wither. Only a few erect stems are formed. The stems are hairy. The eared goose cress, native to Central Europe, blooms between April and May.
» Flat-podded goose cress
The flat-podded goose cress grows once or twice a year. Stately growth heights of up to 80 centimeters can be reached. The stems are hairy only at the bottom. There are over 50 overlapping stem leaves on one plant. The flat-podded goose cress flowers between May and July. The pods appear upright and are pressed tightly to the stems. The plants mainly prefer glacial valleys. In our latitudes, the flat-podded goose cress has become rare. The plant is extinct in Saxony, Thuringia, Salzburg and Carinthia. The main occurrences are in sparse alluvial forests and wet meadows.
» Caucasus goose cress
This perennial plant makes pretty cushions in the rock garden. The white flowers appear between April and May. The plant has serrated edges and tongue-shaped leaves. A sunny to partially shaded location is preferred. The soil should be sandy and permeable to prevent waterlogging. You can put ten plants on one square meter. Young plants need constant watering.
» Arend's goose cress
Arend's goose cress grows 10 to 15 centimeters high. The attractive dark pink flowers appear in May. The hardy plant is a popular bee pasture. The planting can be done in rock gardens, beds or in buckets. Arend's goose cress has grey-green, tongue-shaped leaves and thrives in the sun likein the penumbra. Fresh soil is preferred. The irrigation water should be able to drain off well so that there is no waterlogging.
Other species and their distribution areas
Cress Style
Arabis amplexicaulis
Arabis bijuga
Arabis blepharophylla
Arabis flagellosa
Arabis paniculata
Arabis parvula
Arabis scopoliana
Arabis serpillifolia
Arabis serrata
Arabis ferdinandi-coburgii
Area of distribution
India, Nepal, Tibet, Pakistan
Pakistan, Kashmir
California
Japan, China
Tibet, Nepal, China
Algeria , Morocco, Spain, Tunisia
Balkan Peninsula
France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland
Japan, Taiwan, Korea
Bulgaria