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Cardamine bulbifera - (L.)Crantz.

Common Name Coral Root, Coralroot bittercress
Family Brassicaceae or Cruciferae
USDA hardiness 4-8
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Very local in woods, usually on calcareous soils, in Devon, S.E. England, the Chilterns and Ayr[17]. A characteristic species of base-rich beech woodlands[17].
Range Central Europe from Britain and France to Sweden, east to the Balkans, W. Asia and the Caucasus.
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Cardamine bulbifera Coral Root, Coralroot bittercress


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Illustration_Cardamine_%3D_Dentaria_bulbifera1.jpg
Cardamine bulbifera Coral Root, Coralroot bittercress
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fornax

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Cardamine bulbifera is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from April to June, and the seeds ripen from May to July. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Dentaria bulbifera

Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves  Root
Edible Uses:

Leaves - raw or cooked[K]. A hot cress-like flavour. Bulbils - raw or cooked. They are rather small, about the size ofa lentil, but have a pleasant mild cress-like flavour[K]. Root - raw or cooked[K]. A hot flavour, it is pleasant but rather small[K].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


None known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Prefers a moist humus rich soil in shade or semi-shade[200]. The flowers are rarely visited by pollinating insects and seed is rarely set, propagation is carried out by means of bulbils formed on the axils of the upper leaf stems[17, K].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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Propagation

Seed - best sown when ripe, otherwise sow it in the spring. If you have sufficient seed it can be sown in situ, otherwise it is best to sow it in pots in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and pant out in the summer. The bulbils can be collected in early summer and potted up. Keep them in a cold frame over the winter and plant out when in active growth in the spring.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Plant Search

Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search

Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Cardamine amaraLarge BittercressPerennial0.6 4-8  LMHSNM31 
Cardamine amaraeformis Annual0.0 -  LMHSNM20 
Cardamine bonariensis Annual0.0 -  LMHSNM20 
Cardamine bulbosaBulbous BittercressPerennial0.5 4-8  LMHSNMWe20 
Cardamine debilisRoadside bittercressPerennial0.3 0-0  LMHSNM20 
Cardamine fauriei Perennial0.3 4-8  LMHSNMWe20 
Cardamine flexuosaWavy Bittercress,Woodland bittercressAnnual/Perennial0.5 4-8  LMHSNMWe20 
Cardamine glacialis Perennial0.3 -  LMHSNM20 
Cardamine heptaphylla Perennial0.4 -  LMHSNMWe20 
Cardamine hirsutaHairy BittercressAnnual0.3 4-8  LMHSNM301
Cardamine impatiensNarrowleaf bittercressAnnual/Biennial0.6 4-8  LMHSNMWe210
Cardamine kitaibelii Perennial0.2 5-9  LMHSNMWe20 
Cardamine komarovii Perennial0.3 -  LMHSNMWe20 
Cardamine leucantha Perennial0.6 4-8  LMHSNMWe21 
Cardamine loxostemonoidesCuckoo FlowerAnnual0.3 -  LMHSNM10 
Cardamine lyrata Perennial0.5 6-9  LMHSNMWe20 
Cardamine macrophylla Perennial0.3 5-9  LMHSNMWe20 
Cardamine nasturtioides Perennial0.3 -  LMHSNM20 
Cardamine nipponica Perennial0.1 -  LMHSNM10 
Cardamine oligospermaSpring Cress, Little western bittercress, Umbel bittercressAnnual/Biennial0.3 0-0  LMHSNMWe21 
Cardamine pennsylvanicaBittercressBiennial/Perennial0.6 4-8  LMHSNMWe21 
Cardamine pentaphyllos Perennial0.3 -  LMHSNMWe20 
Cardamine pratensisCuckoo FlowerPerennial0.5 4-8  LMHSNMWe322
Cardamine prorepens Perennial0.4 4-8  LMHSNMWe20 
Cardamine raphanifolia Perennial0.5 4-8  LMHFSMWe102
Cardamine rotundifoliaAmerican Water Cress, American bittercressPerennial0.3 5-9  LMHSNMWeWa20 
Cardamine schinziana Perennial0.3 4-8  LMHSNMWe20 
Cardamine scutata Annual/Biennial0.3 4-8  LMHSNMWe20 
Cardamine trifolia Perennial0.2 6-9  LMHFSMWE103
12

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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Expert comment

Author

(L.)Crantz.

Botanical References

17

Links / References

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Subject : Cardamine bulbifera  
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