MGV Weeds Series: Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta)

By Carol Sitarski, Master Gardener Volunteer, Cornell Cooperative Extension Allegany County

Well, Spring is finally here, and everything is coming back to life in your garden, which also includes our friends or foes, depending on how you view them, “The Weeds.” 

We have had a long and very cold winter this year, but that will not stop the weeds from coming back. In fact, the ones that germinated in late fall and during winter are already starting to spring into full seasonal growth. These winter germinating weeds are annuals, and the best way to control them is by starting as soon as weather permits.

Today I'm writing about Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta), a member of the mustard family, which is a cute little weed that loves cultivated areas, so you may see it in your garden beds or sometimes on the lawn. It comes from Europe and was brought here by early settlers, as it is edible as a salad or used instead of parsley. This plant has very shallow roots, so it is quite easy to hoe or pull out of the soil, in the fall you can use a pre-emergent product to prevent seeds from sprouting. The plant is not very tall with pinnately compound leaves with rounded leaflets and produces white flowers on stems less than ten inches tall. When the flowers die it produces seed pods that can propel seeds up to sixteen feet away. So, you can see how fast it can spread. Thankfully, the plant is an annual and only lives about twelve weeks.

Earlier I called it a cute little weed because of its appearance of dark green leaves and tiny white flowers, and as such, I do tend to let some grow until flowering and then remove the plant because it does help feed some early pollinators. If you see it in your garden, you may enjoy this little beautiful weed, then remove it after it drops the small white flowers. Do not let it produce seeds after flowering; each plant may produce between 600 and 1000 seeds. 

Remember that if you have questions about this weed or any other gardening topic, you can contact your local Cornell Cooperative Extension, we are always happy to help with your gardening projects. Happy Spring gardening!

Last updated April 16, 2025