Botanical name: Cardamine hirsuta
Common Names
Common Bittercress
Habit: Slender annual herb growing to 35cm
Habitat: Widespread weed inhabiting most gardens and lawns.
Leaves: Thin, sparsely hairy and form a rosette at the base.
Flowers: White with petals around 3mm long.
Fruit/seed: Thin fruit stands erect on the stem and when ripe ejects the seed
a considerable distance, giving the plant its other name ‘Flickweed’.
Origin: Europe
Young Flickweed
SIMILAR SPECIES
Kidney Weed may be confused with juvenile Common Bittercress as they have similar leaf shapes and inhabit the same kinds of areas. Perhaps the best way to distinguish them is by observing the ‘rosette’ formation of the Common Bittercress as opposed to the native’s creeping nature.
SCENARIOS AND SOLUTIONS:
- In nurseries: use Dismiss, Ronstar, Barricade, Spartan.
- In garden beds and turf: use Kamba M or Bow & Arrow.
