ExplorePlants

coralroot

Cardamine bulbifera

Coralroot is a special plant that grows in shady places like forests. It has pretty flowers and unique roots that look like coral, which is how it got its name!

Habitat: Forests

Appearance

The coralroot bittercress has delicate clusters of white to pale lilac flowers, often with dark veins, atop a slender green stem. Its pinnate leaves feature small, dark, bead-like bulbils in their axils, making it visually distinct from other woodland plants.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderBrassicalesFamilyBrassicaceaeGenusCardamine
coralroot
mycorrhizal trait badgeflowering trait badgebiennial trait badgeshade_tolerant trait badge
coralroot

Category

Plants

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

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Interesting facts

Its small flowers are a favorite snack for hungry deer and other woodland creatures!

This plant is a wild cousin of your garden mustard and radish, tasting a bit spicy!

Tiny black 'plant-babies' grow right on its stem, ready to drop off and become new plants!

When you touch its seed pods, they can burst open, flinging tiny seeds far away!

Special abilities

Ability

Bulbil Power

Coralroot can clone itself using tiny dark bulbils that drop off its stem, helping it spread quickly in its woodland home.

Ability

Spring Sprinter

Coralroot bursts into life early in spring to soak up sunlight before tree leaves fully open, giving it a head start.

Measurements & details

Height
20-60 cm
Spread
10-20 cm
Flower Size
1-2 cm
Bloom Season
Spring to Early Summer
Edible
Yes
Toxicity
None
Lifecycle
Perennial
Pollination Method
Insect

Ecological connections

eaten by

Roe Deer

Capreolus capreolus

Commonly grazed by browsing deer.

pollinates

European Honey Bee

Apis mellifera

Visits flowers to collect nectar and pollen.

eaten by

Black Slug

Arion ater

Slugs sometimes munch on its leaves.

eaten by

Small White Butterfly

Pieris rapae

Its leaves are sometimes a meal for caterpillar larvae.

Traits

Also known as

Coralroots

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Don't touch plants unless you know they are safe. Always ask an adult before exploring.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall is coralroot?

20-60 cm

How wide does coralroot spread?

10-20 cm

How big are the flowers on coralroot?

1-2 cm

When does coralroot bloom?

Spring to Early Summer

Is coralroot edible?

Yes

Is coralroot toxic?

None

What is coralroot's lifecycle?

Perennial

How is coralroot pollinated?

Insect

Snap Map

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Where to spot

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