Cardamine pratensis
| Cardamine pratensis | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 4 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Self Pollinated | |
| Height: | 1' |
| Width: | 1' |
| Blooms: | Mid Spring-Early Summer |
| Meadows Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Shelter | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Cardamine pratensis (common name: cuckoo flower)
Propagation: Seed - sow outdoors in a seedbed in a shady position in April. Plant out in autumn or spring.
Division in spring or autumn[1].
The plant produces young plants at the base of its leaflets. When large enough, these can be easily separated from the main plant and grown on as individual plants[K].
Cultivation: Succeeds in most soils[2][3] so long as they are moist or wet[4][5]. Prefers a cool damp soil[3]. Succeeds in full sun or partial shade[1].
Cuckoo flower was at one time much used as a spring salad plant and was often sold in local markets. It has, however, fallen out of favour and is scarcely used at present[6].
A polymorphic species[7].
A very ornamental plant, non-invasive and well suited to the wild garden though it may require protection from wood pigeons who eat out the young buds in spring[4]. It grows well in the spring meadow[8]. A food plant for the orange tip butterfly[8].
There is at least one named variety, selected for its ornamental value. 'Flore Pleno' is a double flowered form[4].
Range: Most of Europe, including Britain, N. Asia and N. America.
Habitat: Moist, slightly shady places in meadows and by streams[9][10][4], usually in acid soils[11].
Edibility: Leaves and young shoots - raw or cooked[12][13][14][15][16]. Rich in vitamins and minerals[6], especially vitamin C[1], but with a bitter and pungent flavour[17]. The leaves and young shoots are harvested in the spring and taste rather like water cress[11]. The leaves can be available early in the year[K] and when used in small quantities make a very acceptable addition to salads[18][K].
Flowers and flower buds - raw. A pungent cress-like flavour[18][K]. The white flowers are very attractive, they make a pleasant nibble and also add a delicious flavour to salads[K].
Medicinal: Cuckoo flower is seldom used in herbalism, though an infusion of the leaves has been used to treat indigestion and promote appetite[6].
The leaves and the flowering plant are antirheumatic, antiscorbutic, antispasmodic, carminative, digestive, diuretic, stimulant[11][19][20][1][21]. They are used internally in the treatment of chronic skin complaints, asthma and hysteria[1]. The plant is harvested in spring and early summer and is best used when fresh[11][1].
Pollinators: Bees, flies, lepidoptera
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Seed Ripens: Late Spring-Mid Summer
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Sanders, Thomas. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge, 1926.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Perennials - The Definitve Reference. Pan Books, 1991.
- ↑ Brickell, Christopher. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. Dorling Kindersley Publishers, 1990.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Stuart, Malcolm. The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism. Orbis Publishing, 1979.
- ↑ Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Baines, Chris. Making a Wildlife Garden.
- ↑ Triska, Jan. Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn, 1975.
- ↑ Brown, George. Shade Plants for Garden and Woodland.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Launert, Edmund. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn, 1981.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ Mabey, Richard. Food for Free. Collins, 1974.
- ↑ Loewenfeld, Claire and Philippa Back. Britain's Wild Larder. David and Charles.
- ↑ Larkcom, Joy. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn, 1980.
- ↑ Sowerby, John. The Useful Plants of Great Britain. 1862.
- ↑ Vilmorin-Andrieux. The Vegetable Garden. Ten Speed Press.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Gamble, James. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 1972.
- ↑ Schofield, Janice. Discovering Wild Plants.
- ↑ Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.