While wandering around the garden I glanced over at the very first bed that my husband and I put in back when we moved into this house nearly three years ago (the bed that was meant for veggies but was soon filled with herbs). My heart sank as I realized I was looking down at a bed full of Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta). I knew with one quick glance what was occupying that garden bed. I know this little weed all too well from my days spent working at a nursery. This little weed would run amuck in the nursery pots if we did not constantly take the time to weed it out.
(In the below picture the smaller plants are the Hairy Bittercress while the larger leaved plants are yet more borage that has decided to germinate. Borage really likes me I am afraid.)
I do not know how this intruder managed to sneak its way into my garden bed so well. Perhaps it was secretly hiding out in and amongst the cosmos during their glory days when all I noticed was their pretty blooms held high up, far from the ground where this weed likes to lurk.
I guess this edible weed has enjoyed the rain we have been enduring and I am sure me yanking up the spent cosmos remains only helped its germination along. Being that it is edible I might make the best of it and allow some of them to grow bigger for our salads. This however is one weed that you DO NOT want to let go to seed. It has explosive seedpods that send seed flying up to 10 feet away. It is quite good at making a nuisance of itself. I plan to be on guard with this weed and hope to prevent it from finding my garden a nice place to take up residency.
I did a couple searches online concerning this weed and found this picture on Wikipedia. It’s a good picture to use for identifying Hairy Bittercress. It can be clicked on to enlarge for better viewing.
I also found this blog post at Lucy’s Kitchen Notebook that has a cute little story to read concerning this weed that I thought I would pass along.
At least when it comes to edible weeds you get an extra dose of enjoyment (or is it revenge?) when you eat them!
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for the info on this weed. I think this is what has been sprouting up in my Woodland Garden. We’ve had alot of rain lately and it seems to have popped up everywhere. I went out today to start removing it.
Hi Racquel,
Maybe it likes the rain since it is popping up in my garden after we have received rain as well. -Cynthia
Glad I could help you id this weed for you.
I am not even familiar with this! How did this escape me? Maybe I have it and don’t even know it…
Brenda
Brenda,
It is a good thing that you have never seen it as once you see it you never forget it cause it won’t let you! -Cynthia
Ack! Popping weed! Didn’t know its other common name. In my garden it is EVERYWHERE right now. I know I need to get out there and pull it before its flowers bloom. I feel like I’m really good about it, but twice a year, there it is again. Grrrr. Sorry you have it in your garden too! Good luck… does mulch keep it down or does it just keep coming up through that too? Mine sprouts through weed cloth!
Hi Karen,
-Cynthia
I don’t think mulch helps much in my opinion when it comes to this weed. I am not too happy about finding it because I know I have not seen the last of it!
Hi,
I’m sure it’s a treat to have edibles weeds, but as long as they’re in check!
Hi Chandramouli,
This is one weed that does not like to stay in check which is quite unfortunate for me! -Cynthia
Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment.
Nightmare – It’s when you go to weed them out and the slightest movement of your hand towards the plant seems to send their seeds popping out in all directions.
I have it too.
K
Hi Karen,
I am really wondering if when I pulled up my cosmos I did not do anything but help this weed spread. It is almost forming a mat in one spot so heavily is it germinating…..*sigh* -Cynthia
Our bete noir at the moment is garlic mustard – haven’t seen any hairy bittercress – but that probably just means haven’t seen it yet. Thanks for the heads-up.
Hi Barbara,
Garlic mustard is not one that I have had to deal with. Is it as frustrating as this little weed can be? -Cynthia
Cynthia, I do emergency weeding, when I don’t have time for a good weed but take out anything going to seed – Hairy Bittercress being the worst. This summer we visited a nursery where every pot was full of this weed, I sure you will not be surprised that we didn’t buy anything.
Best wishes Sylvia (England)
Hi Sylvia,
It always amazes me how well this weed can take over nursery stock! I do not blame you for not buying anything when you spotted it. One would certainly not want to introduce this pest to their garden! I wonder how it managed to make its way into mine…. -Cynthia
I don’t know names of any of our weeds (still). It sounds like a nuisance though. Did you know I’ve been reading some herb books and what they’re used for and I saw Borage was supposed to promote feeling good (as in rising people out of depression?) when dried and brewed in tea. Maybe I should get some borage for my new garden next spring to see if it really helps or not.
Hi Cinj,
It can be a little weedy as it self-sows very well….or at least for me it does! I do not mind it as it draws bees by the dozen but it is coming up everywhere now. One good thing about it though is that it is very easy to pull up so if you do not like where it has decided to sprout you can easily yank it and toss it on the compost. -Cynthia
I would read over my posts on Borage before you plant some next year.
I think I remember reading about that before, but with the situation I’m in I’d stay in tea leaves for an awfully long time if it really does help with depression.
I still have a while to research and decide. I’m looking for inexpensive, easy care, useful plants to put in my new herb garden.
Hi Cinj,
Herbs are my favorite plants to grow! -Cynthia
Thyme is a very easy to care for herb that is also very useful both in the kitchen and medicinally. It is great for coughs. Also Lemon Balm is rather easy to grow (think mint!) and is suppose to be good for depression as well. One sniff of it and you will see why! Hope that helps some.
Ohhh I have that too (and too much borage) nasty, nasty little weeds. Better kill ‘em fast!
Hi IDF,
And today I noticed the little pest is coming up in my potted plants! I want to know how they got past my ever watchful eye! -Cynthia