Cuckoo Bittercress
Cardamine pratensis
Family: Brassicaceae
What it is like
A cabbage family herb that keeps growing from year to year. It grows up to 55 cm tall. It is like Common bittercress but larger. The stems are smooth, straight and hollow. The leaves are cress like. They are compound and occur in rings near the base. The leaves at the base have long leaf stalks. The leaves on the stem have sort stalks and are more narrow. The flowers are pink and white. They are 1.2-2 cm wide. They have 4 petals. They are in dense clusters at the top of the plant. The fruit are long pods. They open by spirally coiled valves.
There are about 160 Cardamine species. They are mostly in damp places in temperate regions.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It grows in damp locations near stream banks. It is often in a partly shaded position. It is a temperate plant. It is resistant to frost but sensitive to drought. It suits hardiness zones 4-9.
Countries/locations it is found in
Alaska, Australia, Balkans, Bosnia, Britain, Bulgaria, Canada, Central Asia, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Europe (country/location of origin), Germany, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Luxembourg, Mongolia, New Zealand, North America (country/location of origin), Norway, Russia, Scandinavia, Siberia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tasmania, Tibet, Turkey, Türkiye, USA
How it is used for food
Young leaves are cooked and eaten. They have the taste of watercress. The flowers can be eaten as a salad ingredient.
It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. It is also foraged and supplied to restaurants in Sweden.
Edible parts
Flowers, leaves, spice, vegetable
How it is grown
It can be grown from seed. It can also be grown by division of the rhizomes in autumn.
Its other names
Local names
Apple Pie, Berro de prado, Cao dian sui mi qi, Cuckoo Flower, Divlji hren, Engkarse, Lady’s Smock, Lividna gorva, Meadow cress, Travniška penuša