Shot Weed Cardamine hirsuta
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Arabis heterophylla
- Cardamine angulata
- Cardamine borbonica
- Phonetic Spelling
- kar-DA-mih-nee her-SOO-tuh
- Description
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Hairy Bittercress is a winter annual broadleaf weed and is a member of the Brassicaceae or mustard family. Other common names include Bittercress, Flick Weed, Hoary Bittercress, Lamb's Cress, Land Cress, Shot Weed, and Springcress. The genus name, Cardamine, is Greek for "Kardamon," and translated means "cress." The species name, hirsuta, is Latin and means"hairy." This is about the tiny hairs on its leaves and stems.
The plant is native to Europe and Asia. It has been introduced in most of all other continents including North America, South America, Africa, and Australia. Hairy Bittercress is typically one of the first weeds to appear in spring. It may be seen in lawns, parks, gardens, and paved areas. It is capable of growing year-round when suitable environmental conditions are met. The seeds germinate in the fall or winter. Typically they are dormant in cold weather, and they resume their growth in the spring and produce more seeds. It has a 12-week lifecycle. They can quickly invade sparsely planted lawns or poorly mulched gardens. It is commonly found in sunny, damp, or disturbed soil.
The stems are erect, branched, and 3-10 inches tall. The root is fibrous and shallow. In the spring, clusters of tiny white flowers emerge that have cross-shaped petals on the ends of the stem. The small green leaves are mostly on the lower portion of the stem and form a flat rosette. Tiny hairs are on the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves. The fruits appear between March and May. They are siliquas or long narrow seed pods rods standing upright around the flower. When they mature, seeds are dispersed up to several feet from the plant. Each plant may produce 600 to 1000 seeds.
The weed quickly becomes prolific in the garden and is best controlled by prevention. Hand weeding and adequate mulching of garden beds are helpful. Frequent mowing in the early spring removes flowers before seeds develop. Selecting the correct turf grasses that can develop a dense ground cover is important. Proper fertilizing, mowing, and watering will encourage lawn growth and reduce weed establishment. If these measures fail, various pre-emergent or post-emergent herbicides may be used.
Hairy Bittercress flowers and leaves are edible and valuable nutrients. Although the name suggests that they may taste bitter, they actually have a mild peppery taste. A few sprigs may be added to salads, salsas, and pesto. The flowers are tougher to chew.
These plants are a food source for spring azure (Celatrina ladon) and falcate orange-tip caterpillars (Anthocharis midea). Hairy bittercress may also host aphids, whiteflies, and mites. Bumblebees are attracted to Hairy Bittercress for nectar and pollen. The weed attracts bees in the spring when other flowers are sparse. Early butterflies are also attracted to the tiny flowers.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Cardamine
- Species:
- hirsuta
- Family:
- Brassicaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eurasia
- Distribution:
- North America: Eastern and Southern US, West coast of US, Western and Eastern Canada; South America: Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Chile, Ecuador, Haiti, Jamaica, Uruguay, and Venezuela; Western and Southern Australia, New Zealand; Japan; South Africa
- Wildlife Value:
- Butterflies and bees are attracted to flowers for nectar and pollen.
- Edibility:
- Hairy Bittercress is an edible weed that has a mild peppery taste. A few sprigs can be added to a salad to add a bite. The flowers are edible, but they are tough to chew. The tender leaves are sources of Vitamin C, Ca+, Mg+, and Beta-carotene.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 10 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 6 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Edible
- Weed
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
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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
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Spring
- Fruit Type:
- Siliqua
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The fruits appear as smooth, purplish-green siliqua standing upright around the flower. They turn reddish-brown when they mature. They measure 3/4 to 1 inch long. When dried the pods explode and release seeds up to 3 feet. The seeds germinate in the fall. They overwinter n a vegetative state. In the spring they flower and produce more seeds. Reportedly, each plant can produce 600-1000 seeds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Cross
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The blooms appear in clusters of white, tiny, 4 petaled, cross-shaped flowers. They typically bloom in spring from late April to early June.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Smooth
- Soft
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Reniform
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are reniform in shape, alternate, and pinnate with a terminal leaflet. They have 2-6 pairs of smaller lateral leaflets and a rosette of larger basal leaves. The surface of the leaves is glabrous to pubescent with tiny hairs on the upper and lower surface. They are green in color and measure less than 1/2 inch to 1 inch. The margins of the leaf are lobed and shallowly toothed.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- The stems are erect, branching, and measure 3-10 inches tall. Their surfaces are glabrous to sparsely hairy.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Lawn
- Meadow
- Slope/Bank
- Walkways
- Woodland
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Specialized Bees
- Problems:
- Weedy