Barbarea Rupicola

Barbarea rupicola is a rare Sardinian wintercress found naturally on rocky slopes, cliffs and mountain ground. It forms a compact evergreen or semi-evergreen rosette of glossy, lobed leaves, from which short branching stems carry bright yellow, four-petalled flowers in summer. The cheerful bloom and fresh foliage give it ornamental value beyond the familiar weedy image of wintercress, while the open flowers are useful to small pollinating insects. Hardy and adaptable in cultivation, it suits a sunny or lightly shaded rock garden where the roots receive spring moisture but never remain waterlogged.