Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.5–1 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Neutral, AlkalineColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | Purple Blue | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | ||||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Position
- Full shade
- Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or North–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H4Botanical details
- Family
- Brassicaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Spreading branched
- Genus
Cardamine are herbaceous perennials with simple, palmately or pinnately divided leaves and short racemes of 4-petalled white, yellow, pink or purplish flowers in spring or summer
- Name status
Correct
- Plant range
- C & E Europe
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in full or partial shade in moist soil, rich in organic matter. Spreads freely by small bulbils (immature bulbs) produced in the leaf joints, so site carefully. Remove these before they drop to prevent unwanted seedlings.
Propagation
Sow bulbils (immature bulbs produced on stems) in a containers in a cold frame in late spring or early summer. Propagate by seed sown in situ or in pots a cold frame in spring, or as soon as ripe. Propagate by division after flowering in late spring or early summer.
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Cottage and informal garden
- Underplanting of roses and shrubs
- Ground cover
Pruning
No pruning required
Pests
May be susceptible to flea beetles and aphids
Diseases
Generally disease-free
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.