Flickweed (Cardamine hirsuta)
Common Names
- Hairy Bittercress
- Shotweed
- Popping Cress
Description
Flickweed (Cardamine hirsuta) is a fast-growing, cool-season annual weed from the mustard family (Brassicaceae). It has a low-growing, rosette-forming habit with delicate, compound leaves and small white flowers. This weed thrives in disturbed soil, gardens, lawns, and waste areas, particularly in moist, shady conditions. Its explosive seed dispersal mechanism gives it the name "flickweed."
Identification
Leaves & Stems
- Forms a basal rosette with pinnately compound leaves (leaflets arranged along a central stalk).
- Leaflets are rounded to oval with a slightly lobed or wavy edge.
- Stems are slender, often reddish, and grow upright or sprawling.
Flowers
- Small, white, four-petaled flowers typical of the mustard family.
- Blooms in early spring and late fall, depending on conditions.
Seed Pods & Dispersal
- Produces slender, elongated seed pods (siliques) that develop after flowering.
- When mature, these seed pods burst open when touched, flinging seeds several feet away.
Spread
Flickweed spreads rapidly through its explosive seed dispersal. A single plant can produce hundreds of seeds, which can germinate in as little as a few weeks. The seeds can remain viable in the soil for several years, allowing it to persist even after removal. It is especially prevalent in garden beds, greenhouses, and moist areas.
Similar Species
- Bittercress (Cardamine flexuosa) – Similar in appearance but has more branching stems and flowers that bloom for a longer period.
- Shepherd’s Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) – Has heart-shaped seed pods instead of elongated siliques.