# Lady's Smock (*Cardamine pratensis*)

Lady's Smock has delicate white flowers that look like little stars! They bloom in spring and are often found in meadows.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 6
- **Habitat:** Wet meadows
- **Also known as:** Cuckoo Flower, Lady's Cabbage, Milkmaid

![Lady's Smock](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771425826/objects/4967.jpg)

## Appearance

The Lady's Smock has delicate, four-petaled flowers, usually a pale lilac-purple or pink, sometimes white, forming loose clusters. Its deeply lobed leaves give it a distinctive lacy appearance, differentiating it from many simple-leaved wildflowers.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Brassicales
- **Family:** Brassicaceae
- **Genus:** Cardamine

## Interesting facts

- It's nicknamed 'Cuckoo Flower' because it blooms when the cuckoo birds start to sing!
- Its peppery leaves and flowers are delicious and edible, tasting like cress!
- Lady's Smock was once used to treat scurvy, thanks to its Vitamin C!
- Some people believed that bringing Lady's Smock indoors would attract lightning!

## Special abilities

- **Floodproof Roots:** Lady's Smock has roots that thrive in waterlogged soils, helping it survive in very wet meadows.
- **Peppery Protector:** Lady's Smock has a spicy, peppery taste from mustard oils, helping to deter some hungry animals.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 20-60 cm
- **Spread:** 15-40 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Depends on:** Orange-tip butterfly (*Anthocharis cardamines*) — Larvae feed on the plant.
- **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen.
- **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Visits flowers for nectar.

## Traits

- [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.
- [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.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Flowers](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/flowers)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Explore with care and ask an adult if you’re unsure what to do.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Lady's Smock?

Count the petals where you can, then compare the flower's center, its symmetry, how the blooms are grouped and the leaves below. Color varies between garden varieties and shifts with the light. Flower Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Lady's Smock?

20-60 cm

### How wide does Lady's Smock spread?

15-40 cm

### How big are the flowers on Lady's Smock?

1-2 cm

### When does Lady's Smock bloom?

Spring

### Is Lady's Smock edible?

Yes

### Is Lady's Smock toxic?

None

### What is Lady's Smock's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Bradford Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bradford-downtown-historic-district) — Pennsylvania, US · Historic District
- [Campbell Falls State Park Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/campbell-falls-state-park-reserve) — Connecticut, US · Nature Reserve
- [Clear Creek State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/clear-creek-state-forest) — Pennsylvania, US · Forest
- [Normal School Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/normal-school-historic-district) — Massachusetts, US · Historic District
- [Public Square](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/public-square) — New York, US · Park
- [Kurpark Bad Pyrmont](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kurpark-bad-pyrmont) — Niedersachsen, DE · Park

[View all places to see Lady's Smock](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/lady-s-smock)

## 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*)

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Source: [Lady's Smock: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lady-s-smock)