bulbous cress

Cardamine bulbosa

Bulbous cress is a small plant with pretty white flowers. It grows in wet places and is often found near streams and ponds. Its leaves are shaped like little hearts!

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The bulbous cress has delicate white, four-petaled flowers clustered at the top of an erect green stem. Its basal leaves are rounded, while stem leaves are deeply lobed. It often grows in dense patches, creating bright white carpets.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderBrassicalesFamilyBrassicaceaeGenusCardamine

bulbous cress

Interesting facts

Believe it or not, this plant is related to cabbage and broccoli.

Each flower has four petals arranged in a cross shape, a feature of its plant family.

Its crunchy stems taste a bit like horseradish when eaten raw!

Tiny hairs on its leaves help it shed excess water in wet environments.

Special abilities

Bulbous cress stores water and nutrients in its underground bulb-like base, helping it survive dry spells.

Bulbous cress thrives in waterlogged, muddy soils where many other plants would struggle to grow.

Bulbous cress grows new plants from tiny bulblets on its roots, quickly spreading in wet areas.

Measurements & details

Height: 15-60 cm
Spread: 15-30 cm
Flower Size: 0.5-1 cm
Bloom Season: Spring to early summer
Edible: Yes
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

pollinates

European honey bee

Apis mellifera

Visits flowers for nectar and pollen.

pollinates

Common eastern bumble bee

Bombus impatiens

Actively collects pollen from its blossoms.

eaten by

White-tailed deer

Odocoileus virginianus

Browses on its succulent leaves and stems.

eaten by

Eastern cottontail

Sylvilagus floridanus

Grazes on its leaves and tender shoots.

Traits

Flowering

Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.

Spring Blooming

Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.

Fragrant Flower

Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.

Edible

Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.

Pollinator Magnet

Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

Rapid Growing

Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.