Cardamine pratensis aka Lady's Smock

Cardamine pratensis is a perennial in the cabbage family, Brassicaceae. Its common names include cuckoo flower and lady's smock. It is native to Britain and Ireland. Its wider range spans temperate Eurasia, the Azores, and Ethiopia. It also reaches Greenland and northern parts of North America. Wild plants grow in damp meadows and beside streams. These sites often have some shade and acid soil.

The plant forms a clump with leaves at its base. Garden plants reach about 1.5 feet [0.45 metres] tall. Listed height and spread limits reach 1.6 feet [0.5 metres]. The pinnate leaves have rounded leaflets and vary in colour. Some look grey-green, while others look glossy dark green. Leaves can reach 0.5 feet [0.15 metres] long. Upright, leafy stems rise above this basal rosette. The plant loses its leaves as part of its yearly cycle.

Loose flower clusters appear at the tips of the stems. Each flower has four petals, in pale pink or white. Blooms measure about 0.05 feet [0.015 metres] across. Missouri Botanical Garden lists April as the bloom month. The RHS places flowering in late spring. The flowers attract butterflies, adding value to wildlife gardens. The plant suits meadows, cottage gardens, and informal planting. Gardeners can also use it in woodland and bog gardens. Shaded borders and rock gardens offer other planting sites.

Grow it in moist soil rich in humus. The RHS recommends full or partial shade. Missouri Botanical Garden also lists full sun as suitable. Clay and loam suit it, across acid to alkaline conditions. It accepts both moist, drained ground and poorly drained sites. Hardiness ratings are USDA zones 3–7 and RHS H7. Plants take two to five years to reach full size. They need no pruning and can spread through seed or division. Serious pest and disease trouble is uncommon. Aphids and flea beetles may attack the plant. Possible diseases include rust and powdery or downy mildew.

Leaves and young shoots can be eaten raw or cooked. Their sharp, bitter taste resembles watercress. Small amounts can add flavour to spring salads. Raw flowers and flower buds are edible too. Plants For A Future reports no known hazards. This does not establish safety for pets. The same source records past herbal use for digestive complaints. Such records do not prove that these treatments work.