# Hairy Bittercress (*cardamine hirsuta*) Hairy Bittercress is a small plant with pretty white flowers that bloom in the spring. It's fun to spot in gardens and parks because it often grows in clusters! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Moist and shady places like gardens, parks, and woodlands. - **Also known as:** bittercress, land cress, rock cress ![Hairy Bittercress](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cardamine_hirsuta.jpg&width=800) Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Velela assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cardamine_hirsuta.jpg) ## Appearance The Hairy Bittercress is a small, low-growing plant with a rosette of lobed, dark green leaves often tinged purple at the base. It has slender stems topped with clusters of tiny white, four-petaled flowers, which distinguish it from many larger garden weeds. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Brassicales - **Family:** Brassicaceae - **Genus:** Cardamine ## Interesting facts - Even when cut back, this plant can quickly regrow and produce more seeds! - It can produce over 5,000 tiny seeds from just one plant in a single season! - Its peppery leaves are a favorite addition to salads, adding a zesty mustard flavor. - The 'bittercress' part of its name comes from its slightly bitter, peppery taste. ## Special abilities - **Explosive Seed Launcher:** Hairy Bittercress can launch its seeds up to several meters away using spring-loaded pods, helping it spread rapidly across areas. - **Winter Survivor:** This plant can germinate and grow even in cold winter months, giving it a head start over many other plants in spring. - **Rapid Life Cycle:** Hairy Bittercress matures and produces seeds incredibly fast, allowing it to complete its life cycle before competitors take over. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-30 cm - **Spread:** 10-20 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.4 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to autumn - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Self ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Garden Snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — Snails often munch on its leaves. - **Eats:** Spanish Slug (*Arion lusitanicus*) — Slugs are known to feed on its foliage. - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Honey bees visit its small white flowers. ## Traits - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Hairy Bittercress? 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 Hairy Bittercress? 5-30 cm ### How wide does Hairy Bittercress spread? 10-20 cm ### How big are the flowers on Hairy Bittercress? 0.2-0.4 cm ### When does Hairy Bittercress bloom? Spring to autumn ### Is Hairy Bittercress edible? Yes ### Is Hairy Bittercress toxic? None ### What is Hairy Bittercress's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Dundee Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dundee-canal) — New Jersey, US · Historic Site - [East Over Reservation](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/east-over-reservation) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Green Brook Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/green-brook-park) — New Jersey, US · Park - [Hastings Hill Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hastings-hill-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Orient Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/orient-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District - [Southampton Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/southampton-village-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District [View all places to see Hairy Bittercress](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/hairy-bittercress) ## 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: [Hairy Bittercress: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hairy-bittercress)