Hairy Bittercress Plant Care
Cardamine hirsuta L.
Updated · Sources · How we source care data
Cardamine hirsuta, commonly called hairy bittercress, popping cress, common bittercress, hoary bittercress, hairy wood-cress, small bittercress, pepperweed, shotweed, or snapweed, is an annual or biennial species of plant in the family Brassicaceae, and is edible as a salad green. It is common in moist areas around the world.
Partial shade to full shade
At a glance
How do you care for Hairy Bittercress?
Hairy Bittercress grows best in partial shade to full shade.
What Is the Hairy Bittercress?
Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) belongs to the Brassicaceae family within the Cardamine genus. Hairy Bittercress is also known as Common Bittercress, Spring Cress.
Hairy Bittercress displays a low-growing, spreading perennial growth habit, reaching up to tall with a spread of approximately . Hairy Bittercress produces small, delicate white or pink flowers in clusters.
What Light Does the Hairy Bittercress Need?
Hairy Bittercress thrives in partial shade to full shade. Avoid placing Hairy Bittercress in direct, harsh sunlight for extended periods, as this can scorch the foliage.
Light Requirement
Partial shade to full shade
What Soil Mix Works Best for a Hairy Bittercress?
Moist, well-draining soil rich in organic matter. Good drainage is essential for Hairy Bittercress to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Do You Repot a Hairy Bittercress?
Divide and repot every 2-3 years in early spring. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.
How Do You Propagate a Hairy Bittercress?
Hairy Bittercress can be propagated through seeds, division. Similar propagation techniques also apply to alpine bittercress plant care, which shares the same genus.
Is the Hairy Bittercress Toxic to Pets and Children?
Pet safety not verified
The ASPCA does not list Hairy Bittercress, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Keep pets from chewing it as a precaution.
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the Hairy Bittercress?
Hairy Bittercress is susceptible to aphids, cabbage worms, flea beetles. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
Keep exploring plants
Hairy Bittercress is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Cardamine genus — compare its care with other Cardamine species on PlantoScan.
Cardamine is part of the Brassicaceae plant family — browse all Brassicaceae genera and species.
Hairy Bittercress copes with lower light than most plants — browse the full list of low-light plants.
More Cardamine Species
Other Cardamine species in PlantoScan's care catalogue share similar watering, light, and soil preferences:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Cardamine hirsuta L., family Brassicaceae (first published in Sp. Pl. : 655 (1753)) — World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
- Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list Hairy Bittercress, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks — values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link — we check and correct reported errors.
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