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Brassicaceae
Milkmaid Flower
Cardamine californica
First stirrings of spring and woodland innocence.
- Family
- Brassicaceae
- Genus
- Cardamine
- Native to
- California, Oregon
- Bloom season
- Late Winter, Early Spring
- Type
- herbaceous perennial
- Height
- 15–40 cm
- Sunlight
- part shade to full shade
- Soil
- moist, humus-rich woodland soil
- Water
- moderate; goes dormant in dry summer
- Hardiness
- 7–10
- Lifespan
- perennial; summer-dormant
Did you know
- It is one of the first native wildflowers to bloom in California, often appearing as early as January.
- The plant disappears completely above ground by summer, surviving as an underground rhizome until rains return.
- Its leaves have a peppery, watercress-like flavor and were eaten by Native Californians as a spring green.
- It is a host plant for the Sara orangetip butterfly, whose caterpillars feed on the seed pods.
- The common name 'milkmaid' refers to the pure white clusters of four-petaled flowers nodding on slender stems.
Color meanings
White
the promise of longer days
Pale Pink
gentle awakening