Native Plants

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Smith, R.W.

Cardamine pensylvanica

Cardamine pensylvanica Muhl. ex Willd.

Pennsylvania Bittercress

Brassicaceae (Mustard Family)

Synonym(s): Cardamine pensylvanica var. brittoniana

USDA Symbol: CAPE3

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), AK (N), CAN (N), SPM (N)

Pennsylvania Bittercress (Cardamine pensylvanica), with very tiny flowers, has pinnately divided leaves.

From the Image Gallery

3 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Silique
Size Notes: Up to about 2 feet tall.
Leaf: Green

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: Feb , Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct

Distribution

USA: AK , AL , AR , CA , CO , CT , DC , FL , GA , IA , ID , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , MT , NC , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NV , NY , OH , OK , OR , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , UT , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY
Canada: NB , NL , NS , PE
Native Habitat: Wet Meadow/Prairie/Field

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist , Wet
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium

Benefit

Conspicuous Flowers: yes

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FACW	FACW	FACW		OBL	FACW		FACW	FACW	FACW

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

Web Reference

Webref 62 - Burke Herbarium Image Collection (2020) University of Washington
Webref 30 - Calflora (2018) Calflora
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Cardamine pensylvanica in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Cardamine pensylvanica in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Cardamine pensylvanica

Metadata

Record Modified: 2022-11-03
Research By: TWC Staff

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