Of the herbs native to temperate Eurasia, this best-known, weedy invasive member is a biennial in the small genus of flowering plants in the mustard family Brassicaceae (also known as the older name, Cruciferae, meaning "cross-bearing", describing the four petals of mustard flowers, which resemble a cross); arranged in clusters, each small white flower of 4 deeply notched petals gives a heart-shaped appearance that upon first glance may look like 8 petals on the flowering stalk from the springtime rosette of leaves close to the ground

Some similar species:
• Shepherd's purse, Capsella bursa-pastoris – flower petals do not have the deep notch of hoary alyssum flowers; those triangular seedpods are slightly heart shaped, hoary alyssum seedpods round and flattened

• Field pennycress, Thlaspi arvense – flower petals do not have the deep notch of hoary alyssum flowers, and their leaves have toothed edges; the edges of hoary alyssum leaves are smooth

• Green flowered peppergrass, Lepidium densiflorum – flower petals are not deeply notched, and the larger green flowered peppergrass leaves have toothed edges; the edges of all hoary alyssum leaves are smooth

©williamwisephoto.com Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia. Sunday, April 16, 2023.

• Location: north of Minnie's Lake between canoe mile markers 24 and 26; N30.88366° W82.29548°
• Cloudy with high 83, low 52.
• Sunrise 7:00 AM; Sunset 7:58 PM
• Daylight hours: 12 hours 57 minute (+1m 48s)

See and learn more about the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge on my blog at www.okefenokee.photography

This snake was seen by a camper here on site #28, it slithered right through their campsite. By looking at the tail pattern/rattle and size I think this is the same snake that was spotted in August. At that time the snake had about 7 rattle segments and this one has eight, so it may have shed between them and now.