New Zealand Bittercress Cardamine corymbosa
Previously known as:
- Cardamine corymbosa Hook. f.
- Cardamine uniflora
- Phonetic Spelling
- kar-DA-mih-nee kor-rim-BOW-suh
- Description
-
New Zealand bittercress is a herbaceous perennial weed in the mustard family (Brassicaceae) that is a native of New Zealand and has a widespread distribution in many of the nearby islands. It has spread to Australia, North America, Great Britain, and Western Europe and is found in naturalized paths, cultivated areas, crevices, ledges, stream banks, forests, disturbed areas and forest margins, The genus name is derived from the Greek word, "Kardamon," and translated means "cress." The species name is from the Latin "corymb," which refers to the flower's inflorescence.
The plant will grow in full sun to partial shade in most soil types including rocky and seasonally wet and dry sites. New Zealand bittercress was found in a container nursery in Wilkes County, North Carolina and was traced to a distribution nursery in Oregon.
The plant appears wiry and fragile. It is very small and low growing, creeping along the ground and forming off-sets. Single white flowers appear on upright stems from a basal rosette of bright green leaves. Seedpods arise at the top of the stem and burst open to release the seeds. When found, it is best to remove the plant as soon as possible to prevent further spread. They can flower and mature in just a few weeks.
Control is by hand weeding, preventing the plant from blooming and herbicides.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Cardamine
- Species:
- corymbosa
- Family:
- Brassicaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Tasmania, New Zealand, Macquarie Islands
- Distribution:
- Native to Antipodean Island, Chatham Island, Macquarie Island, New Zealand North, New Zealand South, and Tasmania. Introduced in Australia, Great Britain, western Europe, and United States--North Carolina and Oregon
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Weed
- Habit/Form:
- Prostrate
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Fine
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- Occasional Flooding
- Occasionally Dry
- NC Region:
- Piedmont
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Fruit Type:
- Siliqua
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The seedpods emerge from the flower before the petals have dropped. Siliqua is smooth. They appear green, and then at maturity appear purple-brownish color. When they dehisce, tiny light green to light yellow-brown seeds is released.
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Corymb
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cross
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Small, single, white, four-petaled flowers arise from the stems. They bloom from early spring to fall.
-
-
Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Shape:
- Cordate
- Obtuse
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- The green leaves form a single flat rosette or short lateral branches. They are generally single, egg-shaped leaflet on a long petiole, and occasionally have a pair of smaller leaflets below. The leaves are glabrous to sparsely hairy. They will make off-set plants at the nodes.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Description:
- The stem for the flower is green and approximately 2-3 inches long.
-
-
Landscape:
- Problems:
- Weedy
