Perennial of the Brassicaceae family, with circumpolar and arctic-alpine distribution: it is found in the Alps, the Carpathians, the Scandinavian mountains, Greenland, the Siberian and North American Arctic. It occupies rocks, crevices, lawns, and snow hollows at high altitudes, generally between 2,000 and 3,500 meters in the Alps.
It forms small spreading tufts, with sparse basal rosettes composed of oval to spatulate leaves, glabrous or nearly so, with a fairly bright deep green — an unusual feature in a genus where grayish, tomentose foliage is common. This clear green hue and the almost total absence of indumentum are useful distinguishing traits in the field.
The flowers are white, with four rounded petals, grouped in corymbose clusters carried on slender stems 5 to 12 cm tall. The flowering is abundant and largely covers the foliage, giving a cloud-like lightness effect above the rosettes.
In its natural habitat, flowering extends from June to August depending on latitude and altitude. In cultivation, it generally occurs in May-June.
It requires full sun or light partial shade, a well-drained substrate, fresh without excess stagnant moisture. More accommodating than some species of the genus, it is suitable for alpine rockeries and mountain gardens, where its bright green foliage remains attractive after flowering.