Cuckoo Flower
Cardamine pratensis
- Native to:
- Albania, Austria, Azores, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greenland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kuril Is., Labrador, Morocco, Netherlands, North Caucasus, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine, United States
Ermell
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Brassicaceae
- Genus:
- Cardamine
- Species:
- Cardamine pratensis
- USDA Symbol:
- CAPR3
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- white, pink, lavender
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- butterflies, bees
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Commonly found in damp meadows and along streams.
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–28 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require light for germination; surface sow and keep moist.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).
Source: Claude AI