Plant Details

Cardamine pratensis

Cuckoo Flower, Lady`s smock

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Common names

42 names · 30 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Cuckoo Flower
  • cuckoo-flower[1]
  • Cuckooflower[1]
+6 more namesShow fewer names
  • European field bittercress[1]
  • Lady's-smock[1]
  • Lady`s smock
  • meadow bittercress[1]
  • Milkmaids[1]
  • Whitsuntide Gilliflower[1]
Other languages (29)
Dutch
  • Gewone pinksterbloem[1]
  • Pinksterbloem[1]
French
  • Cardamine des prés[1]
Belarusian
  • Буйміна лугавая[1]
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 草甸碎米荠[1]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 草甸碎米薺[1]
Czech
  • řeřišnice luční[1]
  • řeřišnice luční pravá[1]
Danish
Estonian
  • aas-jürilill[1]
Faroese
  • eingjarkarsi[1]
Finnish
  • luhtalitukka[1]
  • niittyluhtalitukka[1]
German
  • Wiesenschaumkraut[1]
Hungarian
  • réti kakukktorma[1]
Icelandic
  • Hrafnaklukka[1]
Irish
  • Biolar gréagáin[1]
Italian
  • Billeri dei prati[1]
Japanese
  • ハナタネツケバナ[1]
Korean
Latvian
  • Pļavas ķērsa[1]
Lithuanian
  • Pievinė kartenė[1]
Norwegian
Polish
  • Rzeżucha łąkowa[1]
Portuguese
  • Agrião-dos-prados[1]
Russian
  • Сердечник луговой[1]
Slovak
  • žerušnica lúčna[1]
Slovenian
  • travniška penuša[1]
Spanish
  • mastuerzo de prado[1]
Swedish
  • Braxenblomster[1]
  • Ängsbräsma[1]
Ukrainian
  • Жеруха лучна[1]
Welsh
  • Blodyn y Gog[1]
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Cardamine pratensis — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Pinksterbloem — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • Cuckooflower — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • Lady's-smock — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • Ängsbräsma — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • Milkmaids — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • Braxenblomster — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • Whitsuntide Gilliflower — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • Wiesenschaumkraut — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • luhtalitukka — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • Cardamine des prés — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • řeřišnice luční — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • engkarse — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • Engkarse — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • Сердечник луговой — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • mastuerzo de prado — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • Pievinė kartenė — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • Rzeżucha łąkowa — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • ハナタネツケバナ — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • 草甸碎米薺 — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • 草甸碎米荠 — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • aas-jürilill — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • Biolar gréagáin — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • eingjarkarsi — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • Буйміна лугавая — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • Жеруха лучна — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • travniška penuša — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • Pļavas ķērsa — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • réti kakukktorma — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • cuckoo-flower — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • European field bittercress — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • meadow bittercress — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • Agrião-dos-prados — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • Hrafnaklukka — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • Billeri dei prati — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • Gewone pinksterbloem — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • řeřišnice luční pravá — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • niittyluhtalitukka — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • Blodyn y Gog — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • 꽃냉이 — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.
  • žerušnica lúčna — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 54531; Cardamine pratensis.

General information

Scientific name: Cardamine pratensis
Accepted name (Kew): Cardamine pratensis L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Brassicaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Cardamine (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Cuckoo Flower, Lady`s smock
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Herbaceous
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 0.50 m
Spread: 0.30 m
Growth rate: None
Foliage: None

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 4-8
Soil moisture:
Moist, Wet
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Partial shade, Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Leaves, Flowers
Edibility rating:
(3)
Medicinal rating:
(5)
Functions:
Bee forage

Description

The leaves and young shoots of this plant can be eaten both raw and cooked. They are a good source of vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C, but have a bitter and sharp taste. The leaves and young shoots can be harvested in the spring and taste somewhat like watercress. They are available early in the year and make a tasty addition to salads when used in small amounts. The flowers and flower buds can be eaten raw and have a spicy, watercress-like flavor. The white flowers are attractive and add a pleasant crunch and delightful taste to salads.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 15/04
Harvest ends: 15/06

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1337983; name ID 2699368; Cardamine L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1338664; name ID 2700274; Cardamine pratensis L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Cardamine pratensis

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 5119641, ID R4LD: Cardamine pratensis L. (accepted).

    Source checked on .