# Bittercresses and Toothworts (*Cardamine*) Bittercresses and Toothworts are small plants that often grow in gardens and meadows. They have pretty flowers and are loved by many insects, making them a fun part of nature! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Meadows and gardens - **Also known as:** Toothwort ![Bittercresses and Toothworts](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cardamine_oligosperma_6649.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cardamine_oligosperma_6649.JPG) ## Appearance The Bittercresses and Toothworts often have delicate clusters of small, white to pale pink or purple flowers, each typically with four petals. Their leaves vary, often forming a rosette at the base and sometimes lobed or toothed along the stem, presenting a low-growing profile. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Brassicales - **Family:** Brassicaceae - **Genus:** Cardamine ## Interesting facts - One species, the Cuckooflower, gets its name because it blooms when the cuckoo bird returns in spring! - Some types of toothwort grow their flowers directly from the ground before their leaves even appear! - The spicy taste of bittercress is similar to horseradish, which is in the same plant family! - They are a 'pioneer species,' often being the first plants to grow in newly disturbed ground! ## Special abilities - **Explosive Seeds:** Bittercresses can launch their tiny seeds several feet away when their pods burst, helping them spread far and wide. - **Rapid Growth:** Many bittercress species grow and complete their life cycle incredibly fast, allowing them to quickly colonize new spaces. - **Underground Strength:** Some Toothworts have thick, tooth-like rhizomes underground, storing energy and helping them survive harsh conditions. - **Peppery Power:** Bittercresses contain compounds that give them a spicy, peppery taste, deterring some herbivores from eating them. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-60 cm - **Spread:** 10-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-1.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Early Spring to Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** Cabbage White Butterfly (*Pieris rapae*) — visits flowers for nectar - **Eaten by:** Spanish Slug (*Arion vulgaris*) — feeds on leaves and stems - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — browses on foliage ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Biennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/biennial): Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Spice](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spice): This human use trait indicates species from which spices are derived, used for flavoring, preserving food, or as aromatic agents. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always wash your hands after touching plants, and don't eat any plants without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Bittercresses and Toothworts? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Bittercresses and Toothworts? 10-60 cm ### How wide does Bittercresses and Toothworts spread? 10-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on Bittercresses and Toothworts? 0.2-1.5 cm ### When does Bittercresses and Toothworts bloom? Early Spring to Summer ### Is Bittercresses and Toothworts edible? Yes ### Is Bittercresses and Toothworts toxic? None ### What is Bittercresses and Toothworts's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Potomac Hills Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/potomac-hills-park) — Virginia, US · Park ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Bittercresses and Toothworts Facts — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bittercresses-and-toothworts)