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Cuckoo flower

Cardamine pratensis
Edible value5Medicinal value4Other uses3
perennial0.4×0.6 mzone 4–7partial shade

Will it grow where I live?

Cuckoo flower is hardy to zone 4 – that covers all of Central Europe and the British Isles, and every USDA zone from 4 upwards.

Or check it for your location right here:

Winter hardiness by USDA zone, summer warmth by heat sum – the same values the app and the plant finder use.

Profile

Family
Brassicaceae
Habit
perennial
Height
0.4 m
Spread
0.6 m
Growth
medium
Lifespan
8 years
First yield
after 2 years
Hardiness
zone 4–7
Shade tolerance
partial shade
Soil
Sand, Silt, Loam
Soil moisture
moist – very wet
pH
5.5 – 7
evergreen

Uses

Edible5 of 10
Medicinal4 of 10
Other uses3 of 10

Frequently asked questions

Cuckoo flower: how big does it get?

Cuckoo flower (Cardamine pratensis) grows as a perennial and reaches roughly 0.4 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 0.6 m. Growth is medium.

Cuckoo flower: what site does it need?

Cuckoo flower tolerates partial shade. Suitable soils are Sand, Silt, Loam. Soil moisture should be in the range moist – very wet. The pH may lie between 5.5 and 7.

Cuckoo flower: is it hardy?

Cuckoo flower is listed as hardy in zone 4–7 and survives normal winters outdoors there.

Cuckoo flower: will it grow in Central Europe?

Cuckoo flower is hardy to zone 4 – that covers all of Central Europe and the British Isles, and every USDA zone from 4 upwards.

Cuckoo flower: is it poisonous?

No toxicity is recorded for Cuckoo flower. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone — only on a confident identification.

Cuckoo flower: what is it used for?

Rated on a scale up to 10: Edible 5/10, Medicinal 4/10, Other uses 3/10.

Community experience

No first-hand reports for this plant yet.

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