More often found on basic soils in particular limestone this nationally rare plant will also tolerate soils containing usually poisonous heavy metals so in the limestone areas where it is most often found, places like old slag heaps and mine workings are a good place to look. It is quite variable with very short plants and quite tall ones too but no sub species or varieties have yet been defined.

Some time ago the name of this plant changed from Thlaspi alpestre to Thlaspi caerulescens and since 2010 in New Flora of the British Isles, it has been changed again to Noccaea caerulescens.

Noccaea caerulescens has its main strong hold in the Pennines around Teesdale but is found also in small communties in Debyshire, Wales, Somerset and in even smaller numbers in Scotland. It is absent from Ireland.

Noccaea caerulescens Alpine Penny-cress Car park near Alston, Cumbria 16th June 2008 Previous   Next

Noccaea caerulescens Alpine Penny-cress

LHS: Teesdale Moorhouse, 16th May 08 MID: Alston, Cumbria 16th June 08 RHS: Banks of Tyne 3rd July 2005

Added on September 29th 2005, updated and renamed 15th February 2012, updated 15th July 2014