Cuckoo Flower - Cardamine pratensis

White flowers with 4 petals and 6 stamens and alternate leaves.

It gets its common name from this explanation from herbalist John Gerard: "These floure for the most part in Aprill and May, when the Cuckow begins to sing her pleasant notes without stammering."

comments (6)

Ferdy Christant

Lion

The lower cuckoof, always a nice sight. Posted 5 years ago
1. Christine Young
  
  Lion
  
  Have you ever eaten them? The lower leaves have quite a kick. Posted 5 years ago
2. 1. Ferdy Christant
    
    Lion
    
    I haven't, sorry, but I do want to know if you got my pun. Posted 5 years ago
  2. 1. Christine Young
      
      Lion
      
      I totally didn't get it, but I tries SOOO hard... Posted 5 years ago
    2. 1. Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        You can read "cuckooflower" as "cuckoo flower" or "cuckoof lower". So the lower cuckoof.
        It's a really bad joke in hindsight. Posted 5 years ago
      2. Christine Young
        
        Lion
        
        Haha, that is funny, in a dorky way!! It took thought on your part for sure. I like it. Posted 5 years ago

The Cuckooflower

Cardamine pratensis (cuckooflower or lady's smock), is a flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae, native throughout most of Europe and Western Asia. The specific name pratensis is Latin for "meadow".

Info 18 0

Similar species: Brassicales

Species identified by Christine Young