A few years ago I found this growing at a nursery here in Vt. The plants at this nursery are grown in containers and many are also lined out in a field. After walking around for several hours I kept returning to an area filled with this plant. When I questioned the owner she told me it was a weed, handed me a bag and shovel and said to take all I wanted
The plant starts as a flat rosette of leaves in spring ( April), grows upward as in the first image ( taken today) and then later in July has 3 - 4 foot spikes with many odd stems that produce tiny white flowers as in the 2nd image - they remind me of peacock feathers for some reason. The root is similar to a dandelion, but pulls easily. It does not like to be transplanted. The stems and tiny white flowers do produce seed, but it is not a thug spreading everywhere and seems to have trouble seeding compared to the number of seeds available. Seedlings are easily managed if they show where I don't want them. I would love to know what this is.

That is a really exotic plant and I'd love to know what it is, too. I'll give 25 acorns to the first person who can tell us what it is, or at least get us close.

Noticed a few just begining to bloom and form the long feathered spike today.

My first thought was some sort of Cardamine but I really don't know. If it's a weed it sure is a pretty one!

Maybe Janet will be along soon and see this post ... she's our expert plant identifier!

Hi Lin, I spent several hours over the past few days searching the Brassicaceae family with your suggestion of cardamine. So far nothing seems to match up. Having a great time seeing the different plants in the search of a name for this one.

My wild guess is Arabis glabra (Tower Mustard or Tower Rockcress): Native throughout U.S.: http://www.illinoiswildflowers...

I have seen this weed here before. I think it's just as attractive as some ornamental grasses.

Hi Monica, I think your wild guess is right on!!! The written descriptions and other images I found fit perfectly. I now know what it is, Thank you so much.
Clint, I too, think it is as attractive as the grasses and so easy to manage. Now I can stop calling it my favorite weed and give it a real name label. Off to get my labelmaker.....

Yippee! And you know where I first found it - my old beat up copy of the Peterson Field Guide to Wildflowers of Northeastern/Northcentral North America (lived in MN 30 years). Then I used the web to confirm.

It is attractive and native no less.

Char , Those are some nice photos and we don't have any in the database here at ATP (hint Hint)

I am glad to see this solved because it looked so familiar, I knew I had seen this plant , even went walkabout looking for one.

So glad someone was able to identify this plant for you!

... and I agree with Cinda, the Database could use a few photo's of that plant: Tower Rockcress (Turritis glabra)

dave said:That is a really exotic plant and I'd love to know what it is, too. I'll give 25 acorns to the first person who can tell us what it is, or at least get us close.

Cough 'em up, Dave!

They are coughed up! Congratulations and thank you for getting that plant ID'ed!