Many have a prostrate growth habit and are not affected by mowing. Hairy bittercress going to seed. Growth habit. Hairy bittercress weed is no exception. It has only 4 stamens, C. flexuosa has 6 stamens, and the fruits overtop the flowers. Hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) is a winter or summer annual weed (depending on location). Hairy bittercress is a winter annual weed. A dense, vigorous turf is the best way to reduce the encroachment of winter annual weeds. What is hairy bittercress? NC State Extension is the largest outreach program at NC State University. Don’t be fooled by the common name—its flavor is mild and peppery, not bitter. NC State University and N.C. A&T State University work in tandem, along with federal, state and local governments, to form a strategic partnership called N.C. It has a self-supporting growth form. Control: View 2004 granular herbicide trials for controlling this and other common container weed species. North Carolina citizens each year through local centers in the state's 100 counties While the leaves have a slight pubescence (you need a hand lens to see it) it is certainly not objectionable as a fresh green. The same thing that connects it to every corner of North Carolina: NC State Extension. To reduce its numbers, prevent it from germinating by eliminating bare soil in your garden. The surface of the leaves is often hairy. Small white flowers form at the end of the stems. More than one generation can emerge in any given season because its seeds will germinate as long as the environment is moist and cool. Growth from a rosette allows this species to tolerate frequent mowing at a diversity of heights of cut (Figure 1). Shade may also encourage growth. Harvesting Hairy Bittercress. ENH1250 Biology and Management of Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) in Ornamental Crop Production1Chris Marble, Shawn Steed, and Nathan S. Boyd2 1. This plant is growing in my back yard. The “hairy” in its name is derived from the tiny “hairs” on its leaves and stems. It is in flower from April to August, and the seeds ripen from May to September. Hairy bittercress is a winter annual weed that is in the mustard family and, while considered an undesirable plant that invades our lawns, is an edible plant. Want to see which lists are available? Hairy bittercress can be used like horseradish or watercress to add a kick to dishes like beef tartare. Collecting . N.C. It is nice to add to a salad, a sandwich, or soup. and with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Cutting it short doesn't usually work because they can grow additional flower stems. It has simple, broad leaves. Hairy bittercress, annual meadow grass, dandelion and groundsel are a particular problem at the moment and are much easier to remove when they are young. They quickly invade thin turf areas especially where there is good soil moisture. Two to four pairs of leaflets are arranged alternately on each leaf stem. Read our Commitment to Diversity | Read our Privacy Statement. Cardamine hirsuta, commonly called hairy bittercress, is an annual or biennial species of plant in the family Brassicaceae, and is edible as a bitter herb. Leaflets just emerging to form the characteristic rosette. Individuals can grow to 0.12 m. Hairy Bittercress Identification Hairy bittercress seed germinates in late fall and, after emergence, forms a rosette as well as a fibrous root system. Stems can be 3-9 inches long, and the leaves are mostly on the lower portion of the stem in a basal rosette. It may often be seen growing on the surface of containers in nurseries and garden centres and the seeds can be introduced into gardens unwittingly with container-grown plants. Ferti-lome Weed-Out Lawn Weed Killer with Trimec. Foraging for hairy bittercress can be as simple as walking out into your backyard. This is a small, low-growing weed. Bittercress, notice the small leaves and upright flower stalks Hairy bittercress( Cardamine hirsuta ) and similar species such as pennsylvania bittercress ( Cardamine pensylvanica ) are small annual or biennial herbs that are prolific native plants in almost every state in the US. Hairy bittercress is best managed mechanically when it is young. Hairy Bittercress – A Delightful Misnomer As far as I’m concerned, hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) is neither hairy nor bitter. As long as it has not set seed, you can add hairy bittercress to your compost pile. This plant can be weedy or invasive according to the authoritative sources noted below.This plant may be known by one or more common names in different places, and some are listed above. TurfFiles provides turfgrass information to homeowners, students, extension personnel and professional turfgrass managers. This document is ENH1250, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Extension. 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