Practical
Plants

Cardamine pratensis

Cuckoo Flower

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

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

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

Uses

Edible uses

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

Leaves and young shoots - raw or cooked[11][19][4][20][3]. Rich in vitamins and minerals[16], especially vitamin C[13], but with a bitter and pungent flavour[17]. The leaves and young shoots are harvested in the spring and taste rather like water cress[21]. The leaves can be available early in the year[K] and when used in small quantities make a very acceptable addition to salads[183, K]. Flowers and flower buds - raw. A pungent cress-like flavour[183, K]. The white flowers are very attractive, they make a pleasant nibble and also add a delicious flavour to salads[K].

Plant part
Flowers
Plant part
Leaves

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

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

Cuckoo flower is seldom used in herbalism, though an infusion of the leaves has been used to treat indigestion and promote appetite[16]. The leaves and the flowering plant are antirheumatic, antiscorbutic, antispasmodic, carminative, digestive, diuretic, stimulant[21][6][8][13][15]. They are used internally in the treatment of chronic skin complaints, asthma and hysteria[13]. The plant is harvested in spring and early summer and is best used when fresh[21][13].

Product or use
Antirheumatic
Product or use
Antiscorbutic
Product or use
Antispasmodic
Product or use
Carminative
Product or use
Digestive
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Stimulant

Environment

Range
Most of Europe, including Britain, N. Asia and N. America.
Habitat
Moist, slightly shady places in meadows and by streams[5][18][9], usually in acid soils[21].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
high
Hardiness
Zone 4+
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 outdoors in a seedbed in a shady position in April. Plant out in autumn or spring. Division in spring or autumn[13]. 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

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

Succeeds in most soils[1][2] so long as they are moist or wet[9][10]. Prefers a cool damp soil[2]. Succeeds in full sun or partial shade[13]. 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[16]. 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[9]. It grows well in the spring meadow[14]. A food plant for the orange tip butterfly[14]. There is at least one named variety, selected for its ornamental value. 'Flore Pleno' is a double flowered form[9].

References

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

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  2. Sanders. T. W. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge 1926-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.

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  4. Loewenfeld. C. and Back. P. Britain's Wild Larder. David and Charles ISBN 0-7153-7971-2

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  5. Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-600-33545-3

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  6. Gamble. J. S. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1972-00-00

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  7. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

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  8. Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.

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  9. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  10. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

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  11. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

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

  13. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  14. Baines. C. Making a Wildlife Garden.

    ↩1↩2

  15. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩

  16. Stuart. M. (Editor) The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism Orbis Publishing. London. 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-85613-067-2

    ↩1↩2↩3

  17. Vilmorin. A. The Vegetable Garden. Ten Speed Press ISBN 0-89815-041-8

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  18. Brown. Shade Plants for Garden and Woodland.

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  19. Mabey. R. Food for Free. Collins 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219060-5

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  20. Larkcom. J. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn 1980-00-00

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  21. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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