New Zealand Bitter-cress

New Zealand Bitter-cress - Cardamine corymbosa

Description

A very small, low growing plant with typical Cardamine seedpods emerging from the flower before the petals have dropped. Inflorescence very few-flowered. The flowers are white with four petals and usually 6 stamens; larger than than Cardamine hirsuta or C flexuosa.  Leaves glabrous or sparsely hairy. .

Similar Species

Cardamine flexuosa and C hirsuta

Identification difficulty
Recording advice

Photo of open flowers showing number of stamens, and an indication of the size of the open flowers

Habitat

It has spread as a horticultural contaminant and is naturalised on paths, cultivated ground, rockeries and in pavement cracks.

When to see it

It has quite a long flowering period from March or April through to autumn.

Life History

It is usually annual but sometimes behaves as a perennial. It reproduces by seed and also by leaf-tip rooting.

UK Status

First found in the British Isles in 1985 and spreading. 

VC55 Status

Rarely recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland but possibly under recorded and more frequent than records suggest.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Additional images

All NatureSpot records