Alpine Bittercress
Cardamine bellidifolia
- Native to:
- Aleutian Is., Austria, Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, Greenland, Iceland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Korea, Labrador, Norway, Russia, Spain, Svalbard, Sweden, Switzerland, United States
Carl Axel Magnus Lindman (en.wikipedia.org)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Brassicaceae
- Genus:
- Cardamine
- Species:
- Cardamine bellidifolia
- USDA Symbol:
- CABE
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 10 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug
- Bloom Colors:
- white
- Ground Cover:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- small pollinators
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rocky, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 5.0 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- often found in alpine and arctic regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Requires light for germination. Best germinated at cool temperatures around 10-15°C.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI