Cardamine hirsuta
Encyclopedia
Hairy Bittercress, Cardamine hirsuta, is a winter annual plant native to Europe
and Asia
, but also present in North America
as an invasive weed
. The plant is a member of the mustard family (Brassicaceae
), and is edible as a bitter herb. It flowers from quite early in the Spring until the Autumn. The small white flowers are borne in a corymb on wiry green stems, soon followed by the seed
s and often continuing to flower as the first seeds ripen. The seed are borne in siliquae which, as with many Brassica
species, will often burst explosively when touched, sending the seeds flying far from the parent plant. Seeds germinate in the Autumn, and the tiny plants are green throughout the winter months.
Hairy Bittercress can be very invasive. This plant grows best in damp, recently disturbed soil. These conditions are prevalent in nursery or garden centre plants, and Hairy Bittercress seeds may be introduced with those plants. Once established, particularly in lawn areas, it is difficult to eradicate. The tiny flowers are attractive to a few early butterflies, including (in the US) Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon
) and Falcate Orange-tip (Anthocharis midea).
, recorded in the 10th century.
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, but also present in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
as an invasive weed
Weed
A weed in a general sense is a plant that is considered by the user of the term to be a nuisance, and normally applied to unwanted plants in human-controlled settings, especially farm fields and gardens, but also lawns, parks, woods, and other areas. More specifically, the term is often used to...
. The plant is a member of the mustard family (Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae, a medium sized and economically important family of flowering plants , are informally known as the mustards, mustard flowers, the crucifers or the cabbage family....
), and is edible as a bitter herb. It flowers from quite early in the Spring until the Autumn. The small white flowers are borne in a corymb on wiry green stems, soon followed by the seed
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
s and often continuing to flower as the first seeds ripen. The seed are borne in siliquae which, as with many Brassica
Brassica
Brassica is a genus of plants in the mustard family . The members of the genus may be collectively known either as cabbages, or as mustards...
species, will often burst explosively when touched, sending the seeds flying far from the parent plant. Seeds germinate in the Autumn, and the tiny plants are green throughout the winter months.
Hairy Bittercress can be very invasive. This plant grows best in damp, recently disturbed soil. These conditions are prevalent in nursery or garden centre plants, and Hairy Bittercress seeds may be introduced with those plants. Once established, particularly in lawn areas, it is difficult to eradicate. The tiny flowers are attractive to a few early butterflies, including (in the US) Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon
Celastrina ladon
The Spring Azure is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in North America from Alaska and Canada south of the tundra through most of the United States except the Texas coast, southern plain and peninsular Florida; south in the mountains to Colombia.Since the publication of a monograph...
) and Falcate Orange-tip (Anthocharis midea).
Names
Other common or country names include lamb's cress, land cress, hoary bitter cress, flick weed, and shot weed. As Old English stune, the plant is cited as one of the herbs invoked in the pagan Anglo-Saxon Nine Herbs CharmNine Herbs Charm
The Nine Herbs Charm is an Old English charm recorded in the 10th century Lacnunga manuscript. The charm is intended for treatment of poison and infection through the preparation of nine herbs. The numbers nine and three are mentioned frequently within the charm and are significant numbers in...
, recorded in the 10th century.
External links
- http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection.php?Genus=Cardamine&Species=hirsuta
- http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=22797
- USDA Plant Profile: Cardamine hirsuta