Cuckooflower

Cardamine pratensis

flower · leaf

Mauve flowers and leaves with a cress-like bite, raw in salads.

Origin

Europe and Asia

Where to find it

It tints damp meadows mauve, even park lawns; it is picked before mowing, away from treated meadows.

Season (United States)

March to May

Preparation

The flowers and young leaves are washed and scattered raw, in small amounts, for their bite.

Molecules

In small amounts, not counted Pungent glucosinolates

Did you know?

It is nicknamed “meadow cress”: it blooms when the cuckoo sings.