Species Nuttall's Toothwort
light-purple flowers, with lime filaments, yellow anthers, green leaves and lime stems

Nuttall's Toothwort

Cardamine nuttallii

Also Known As - Palmate Toothwort
Nuttall's Toothwort (Cardamine nuttallii) is a species of perennial wildflower native to eastern North America. It has delicate clusters of white flowers in mid-spring, and glossy, toothed-edged leaflets lined up in opposite pairs. These flowers grow in moist areas such as streambanks, woods, and fields, in rich soils. This species is around two to four inches tall, with a widely branching stem and has a short, white flowering raceme with four petals. Its white blossoms are clustered in dense, elegant umbels that burst in full bloom very quickly and contrast interestingly with the darker green foliage of spring. Nuttall's Toothwort is a wonderful addition to any flower garden with its delicate white beauty and unique structure.

Watering:

Frequent

Propagation:

Seed Propagation,Division,Layering Propagation,Cutting

Hardiness Zone:

Sun:

full sun,part shade

Leaf:

Yes

Leaf Color:

green,yellow,purple

Growth Rate:

Low

Drought Tolerant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Care Level:

Medium

watering

Nuttall's Toothwort (Cardamine nuttallii) should be watered deeply whenever the soil begins to feel dry. Depending on your climate and environmental conditions, this could be once a week or even daily in extremely dry conditions. To determine if the soil needs water, dig down a few inches below the surface and feel it. If it's too dry, it's time to water. To avoid water-logging the plant, avoid watering until the top inch of the soil is dry.

sunlight

Nuttall's Toothwort (Cardamine nuttallii) thrives in areas where it receives partial shade to full sun during the day. The plant prefers dappled or lightly filtered shade, but it can also tolerate full sun as long as it is positioned in a damp, moist, and sheltered location. During the hottest part of the day (mid- to late afternoon, especially in summer) it is best to provide some shade to protect the plant from too much heat. In areas where temperatures reach very high levels, providing some afternoon shade for a few hours should help the plant to survive and thrive. Additionally, Nuttall's Toothwort prefers morning sun for at least a couple of hours.

pruning

Nuttall's Toothwort (Cardamine nuttallii) should be pruned lightly in the early spring of each year, before the new growth starts to form. This will help keep the plants neat and tidy and help to promote growth. Pruning should consist of removing any dead or damaged foliage, as well as old flowering stems. Prune off any growth that is crowding out other plants, or taking up too much of the plant’s energy. Be careful not to prune too much or too hard, as this could damage the plant.