Shepherd's Cress Plant Care

Shepherd's Cress (Teesdalia nudicaulis) belongs to the Brassicaceae family within the Teesdalia genus. Shepherd's Cress is native to Madeira, Morocco, and nearly all of Europe. Shepherd's Cress is also known as Naked Stalked Shepherd's Cress.

Shepherd's Cress displays a low rosette, spreading growth habit, reaching up to 0.5 ft tall with a spread of approximately 1 ft. Shepherd's Cress produces small white or pink flowers in clusters.

Leaf size: approximately 1.5 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Shepherd's Cress every 3–5 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established shrubs mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Shepherd's Cress thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Teesdalia nudicaulis tolerates temperatures of 50–75°F. Shepherd's Cress prefers humidity levels of 40–60%.

Well-draining sandy loam with added organic matter. Good drainage is essential for Shepherd's Cress to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Shepherd's Cress every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established shrubs in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining sandy loam with added organic matter. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Shepherd's Cress is suited to USDA Zone 6a – 9b.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped shrubs in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Shepherd's Cress can spread to about 1 ft (0.3 m) and reach about 1 ft (0 m) tall. Space plants about 1 ft (0.3 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the plant spacing calculator.

Prune Shepherd's Cress while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the shrub in one year.

Shepherd's Cress is hardy down to USDA zone 6a, so once established it can stay outdoors through winter in that zone and warmer ones.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown shrubs need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

Shepherd's Cress can be propagated through seeds.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Shepherd's Cress is susceptible to aphids, cabbage worms, flea beetles. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Shepherd's Cress grows outdoors in USDA Zone 6a – 9b. It survives winters down to planting zone 6a. Shepherd's Cress is native to Madeira, Morocco, and nearly all of Europe.