Cuckooflower (Cardamine pratensis) is a perennial wildflower that blooms in the springtime. In the natural ecosystem, it is important as the prime food source for caterpillars of the orange-tip and the green-veined white butterfly. It is commonly found growing in wet grassland areas and near ponds and streams. Because cuckooflower flowers were said to be sacred to fairies, it was considered bad luck to bring them indoors.

Hairy bittercress is a weed found around the world. It is edible as a bitter herb and is most commonly found in recently disturbed areas, roadsides, and wasteground. Cardamine hirsuta uses a form of rapid plant movement for seed dispersal, where ripe seeds burst from siliques and land far away from the parent plant.

This is a small flowering plant in the cabbage family. It grows to a height of no more than 30 cm. The flowers are very small and white. In certain areas of India the wavy bittercress is eaten or used as a garnish.

Cutleaf toothwort (Cardamine concatenata) is a perennial wildflower that attracts bees, butterflies, caterpillars and other insects. Insects are attracted to the sweet nectar from this flower. Cutleaf toothwort reproduces by rhizomes and through seeds. Its common name comes from its tooth-shaped edible rhizomes. The rhizomes have a peppery taste and can be added to salads and other foods.

The genus name Cardamine is derived from the Greek words for "water cress" and "garden peppergrass," "kardaminē" and "kardamon," not to be confused with the famous spice cardamom. Pinnate coralroot has ornamental value and it attracts bees, butterflies, moths, and flies.

Coralroot bittercress (Cardamine bulbifera) is a flowering perennial that is a member of the cabbage family; it is found mostly in mainland Europe and sometimes in the British Isles. The Latin specific epithet “bulbifera” is a reference to how the plant propagates itself through bulbils that grow at the base of the leaves before dropping to the ground and taking root.

Another name for little bittercress (Cardamine oligosperma) is little western bittercress. It’s a plant that’s indigenous to the western United States. It has pods that explode when ripe, shooting tiny seeds into every direction. It’s also a delicious salad green and a super tasty sandwich ingredient.

Milkmaids are perennial wildflowers that respond to their environment. In the late afternoon, when the sun begins to go down, this little plant closes up its blooms. And before a rain, it bows its flower head to protect its pollen. It is one of the earliest wildflowers to bloom.

Large bitter-cress are large, perennial plants in the mustard family. Its presence can be considered an indicator that a groundwater source lies a short distance below the surface. Large bitter-cress remains green through the winter so it can flower early in the spring.

Narrowleaf Bittercress (Cardamine impatiens) is a flowering plant species that commonly grows on walls, in open ground in shady places in forests that have been disturbed by humans. Narrowleaf Bittercress is a narrow, biennial herb that reproduces using seed pods.

Sand bittercress is a North American native plant with potential to become invasive. Its seeds start early and spread widely, so it only takes a couple of these plants to take over an area. You can remove sand bittercress by hand, but be sure to dig down to get all the tap root or the problems will resurface.

Crinkleroot (Cardamine diphylla) is a member of the mustard family that is native to North America. It serves as a host plant to the West Virginia white butterfly (Pieris virginiensis).

Commonly called bulbous bittercress, *Cardamine bulbosa* is widespread in eastern North America. It's found in the moist soils of forests and swamps. Its leaves are edible, and they can add a sharp, peppery flavor to salads. It blossoms with white flowers in late spring and early summer.

The Cardamine angustata is an herbaceous flowering plant that produces white to pink or purple flowers in early spring. It is native to the eastern United States and grows in habitats like well-drained floodplain forests and mesic upland forests. An appropriate habitat is important for this species, and it can be eliminated from an area by changes in land use, development, and even competition with invasive species.

Pennsylvania bittercress is an edible plant that grows in moist areas, near rivers or streams. Young leaves can be eaten raw, and they make a great addition to a salad. Older leaves should be cooked. *Cardamine pensylvanica* is often confused with small-flowered Bittercress (Cardamine parviflora), but this species is smaller and grows in drier soil.

Limestone bittercress (Cardamine douglassii) is indigenous to the central and eastern parts of the United States. Other names for it include purple cress and pink spring cress. It has a basal leaf that’s present all winter long. However, when spring arrives, and the landscape wakes up, the leaf flutters to the ground.

Cardamine tangutorum is a flowering perennial herb native to mountainous regions. Its small white blossoms are distinguished by four delicate petals atop thin stems, contrasting the deep green, pinnate leaves. Thriving in cold, alpine climates, cardamine tangutorum displays a resilience that enables it to flourish in rocky soils where other plants may not, making it a unique component of high-altitude biodiversity.

As a recipient of the Award of Garden Merit, the cuckooflower 'Flore Pleno' has full double blooms that hold longer than others in its cultivar. Its parentage has not been disclosed. The cuckooflower 'Flore Pleno' is named the 'Flore Pleno' for its double flowering form and blooms in spring, when the Cuckoo bird calls.

Cardamine lyrata known commonly as Japanese cress and Chinese ivy is a species of aquatic plant in the mustard family. It is native to the marshes of eastern China and Siberia as well as Korea and Japan. It flowers from spring to summer in the wild with seeds ripening through fall. The flowers are bisexual and are pollinated by insects but are also self-fertile. The species is cultivated as an aquarium ornamental. It needs a supply of cool slow-moving water and strong light. It can grow rapidly under the right conditions and makes an attractive bushy plant. It can be grown in ponds as long as the water temperature does not exceed about 82 °F (28 °C). It propagates easily by cuttings and high levels of carbon dioxide speed growth. Some fish will nibble on the leaves.