Arabis hirsuta aka Hairy Rockcress

Arabis hirsuta is known as hairy rock cress. It belongs to Brassicaceae, the cabbage family. The RHS also lists the Welsh name berwr y graig. It is native to Britain and Ireland. Its wider range covers much of Europe and North Africa. It also extends across northern Asia to Japan. Wild plants grow on chalk and limestone slopes. Other habitats include limestone rocks, walls, dunes, and dry banks. These sites help show the conditions it suits in gardens.

This species can grow as a biennial or perennial. It reaches about 2 feet (0.6 metres) in height. The supplied species accounts give no width measurement. They also give little detail on its leaves or stems. Flowers appear from June through August. Each flower has both male and female organs. Bees, moths, butterflies, and other insects pollinate them. The sources do not describe the fruit. The RHS gives flower and leaf traits for the genus only. Those traits do not establish this species' exact form.

Hairy rock cress is easy to grow in ordinary soil. Good drainage matters more than a single soil texture. It accepts sandy, loamy, and clay soils. It also grows in dry soil and on walls. It tolerates mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline ground. Choose sun or a spot with light shade. Soil may be dry or moist, provided water drains away. PFAF lists USDA zones 4–8 and describes it as frost hardy. Suggested garden sites include beds and north-, east-, or west-facing walls.

Seed, division, and cuttings offer ways to raise more plants. Sow fresh seed on the surface in a bright cold frame. Spring sowing is another option. At 21°C, seed usually sprouts within two to three weeks. Move seedlings into separate pots once large enough to handle. Plant them out during summer. Divide plants after flowering, or take summer cuttings in shade. PFAF reports cooked young leaves as an edible use. Its food-use rating is low, at one out of five. It lists no known hazards, but this is not proof of safety. It records no medicinal or other uses, and no weed potential. The supplied accounts name no pests or diseases.