Gardenworthy cress - Cardamines

[Hoy]

The Meadow Cress (Cuckoo flower, Ladies Smock etc) (Cardamine pratensis) is the "State Flower" of this region. Few people grow it in beds but it forms large patches in moist meadows. It is sometimes a weed. However I let some of the plants that pop up stand, they are shortlived perennials. The color of the petals vary from almost white to dark pink, and the size of the petals vary considerably.

Another cress, Coralroot (C. bulbifera) also is a native of Norway. However, I had to plant it in my garden where it now proliferate. It is easy to use the bulbils, seeds are rare. This one does prefere the shade in woodland.

[Hoy]

This genus contains more than 100 species, many are weeds. Other gardenworthy plants are
C. enneaphyllos, heptaphylla, . . . .

[Hoy]

 . . . pentaphyllos and waldsteinii. All these make excellent plants in the spring woodland garden.

[Martinr]

You've inspired me to go seed hunting. Beautiful woodland plants of which I only have pratensis, whcih grows naturally in the garden but not in any great abundance.

[Paul T]

Trond,

I love the pentaphyllos.  Great pink.  I have one cardamine (unknown species) that I grow here, but haven't had much to do with them.  That pentaphyllos inspires me to think further on them. 

Thanks for showing us.

[Lori S.]

What beauties, Trond!  I think the only ones I have are Cardamine trifoliata and C. enneaphylla, but I clearly need to expand my horizons to include those very showy ones.  I will need to go seed hunting too!

[Paddy Tobin]

Trond,

A lovely selection. I grow a few in the garden but I found C. bulbifera a complete pest, so many bulbils and so many plants that it became a weed.

Paddy

[cohan]

i like them all! especially the pinks, and the emerging foliage on enneaphyllos and heptaphylla is really nice!
we have some little (probably weed, but maybe not, i only call it weed if its foreign) thing in the brassicaceae that grows in semi disturbed wet areas, which overwinters as tiny rosettes that have really nice colour in spring--in those first weeks when the snow is gone and nothing is growing, i search for those rosettes as a sign of hope

[Hoy]

Thanks all! Myself I think that pentaphyllos is the showiest one. I have a white (or almost white) clone of it but the pink form is best. It is easy to divide but I have never seen good seeds.
In early spring enneaphyllos is exciting when it emerges from the leaf litter but the flowers won't win prizes.
heptaphylla (should have been heptaphyllos if you ask me!) is a little later and also taller than the others. It is self-sowing a little but I don't mind. waldsteinii also is very nice but haven't produced viable seeds so far.
As Paddy says bulbifera spreads its bulbils a lot but I let it do so in my woodland. Anyway the bulbils are easily removed.

[Stephenb]

Nice pictures, Trond! I can add that in this part of Norway, Cardamine pratensis is often seen in lawns or under fruit trees. Here's a couple of pictures from a garden I pass on my bike ride to work. I've tried to introduce it in my "lawn" but it sadly doesn't thrive (probably too dry). There's also a nice double flowered variant which I planted (in a bed) last year.

I'm incidentally still looking for some of the North American Dentarias which are sadly not often offered: http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=5915.0 

[Stephenb]

1. My pentaphyllos with Trillium camschatcense and Hylomecon japonicum
2. Cardamine trifoliata
3. Cardamine macrophylla
4. Cardamine alternifolia (Kew Gardens)
5. Cardamine asarifolia

[Hoy]

Nice with Cardamine & Trillium, Stephen! I haven't yet succeeded much with my Trilliums. They somehow won't increase, barely exist.
I managed to germinate C. laciniata last summer. Hope the seedlings survive the winter.

[SusanS]

what beautiful plants, I always look forward to seeming them appear in our roadside verges. 

I like the look of heptahylla and pentaphyllus.  Are they scented?

The photograph of the pratensis lawn is wonderful, if only more lawns looked like that. 

[Hoy]

what beautiful plants, I always look forward to seeming them appear in our roadside verges. 

I like the look of heptahylla and pentaphyllus.  Are they scented?

The photograph of the pratensis lawn is wonderful, if only more lawns looked like that. 

Susan, I have never discerned any scent but I haven't put my nose very close to investigate either!
When spring arrives, I'll tell you for sure!

[cohan]

1. My pentaphyllos with Trillium camschatcense and Hylomecon japonicum
2. Cardamine trifoliata
3. Cardamine macrophylla
4. Cardamine alternifolia (Kew Gardens)
5. Cardamine asarifolia

more nice ones! i like trifoliata with glaucous foliage--does that mean it is less a woodland plant?