Practical
Plants

Cardamine pentaphyllos

a perennial member of the Cardamine genus in the family Brassicaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.3 m
Spread
0.4 m
Fertility
self fertile
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Flies, Lepidoptera

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves - raw or cooked[K]. A bitter cabbage-like flavour with a hint of radish when eaten raw, it will probably be somewhat nicer when cooked[K]. Flowers - raw[K]. A bitter cabbage-like flavour with a hint of radish[K].

Plant part
Flowers
Plant part
Leaves

Environment

Range
Western and Central Europe.
Habitat
Mountainous areas.
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
high
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 3 weeks at 15°c[2]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame for the first two years, planting them out when dormant in late summer. Division in early spring or after the plant dies down in the summer. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a moist humus rich soil in shade or semi-shade[3] but succeeds in most soils that are not dry[1]. This species was seen growing and thriving in well-drained soil in fairly heavy dappled shade in a woodland garden at Cambridge Botanical Gardens in 1999[K].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Bird. R. (Editor) Focus on Plants. Volume 5. (formerly 'Growing from seed') Thompson and Morgan. 1991-00-00

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  3. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

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