Arabidopsis thaliana is a small flowering plant native to Europe , Asia , and northwestern Africa . Arabidopsis thaliana ( A-ra-bi-d Ã p-sis tha-li - Ã - na ; thale cress , mouse-ear cress or Arabidopsis ) , is a small flowering plant native to Europe , Asia , and northwestern Africa . A spring annual with a relatively short life cycle , Arabidopsis is popular as a model organism in plant biology and genetics .