# 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! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![bulbous cress](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cardamine_bulbosa_-_Spring_Cress.jpg&width=800) Photo: Fritzflohrreynolds, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cardamine_bulbosa_-_Spring_Cress.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Brassicales - **Family:** Brassicaceae - **Genus:** Cardamine ## 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 - **Water Wonder Bulb:** Bulbous cress stores water and nutrients in its underground bulb-like base, helping it survive dry spells. - **Muddy Ground Master:** Bulbous cress thrives in waterlogged, muddy soils where many other plants would struggle to grow. - **Quick Spreader:** 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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — Actively collects pollen from its blossoms. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Browses on its succulent leaves and stems. - **Eaten by:** [Eastern cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) — Grazes on its leaves and tender shoots. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [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. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [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. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/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. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always check with an adult before touching or tasting any plants. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify bulbous cress? 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 bulbous cress? 15-60 cm ### How wide does bulbous cress spread? 15-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on bulbous cress? 0.5-1 cm ### When does bulbous cress bloom? Spring to early summer ### Is bulbous cress edible? Yes ### Is bulbous cress toxic? None ### What is bulbous cress's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Kentucky Ridge State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kentucky-ridge-state-forest) — Kentucky, US · Forest - [Main Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/main-street-historic-district) — Illinois, US · Historic District ## 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: [Bulbous Cress: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bulbous-cress)