Up to 300 mm tall. Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsute) While temperatures remain cold, and even an occasional snow flake takes flight, there is weed that is giving it is all this spring. I first saw this in my lawn in 2013. It seeds very quickly and shoots them out for some distance from the parent plant. It dies when the weather gets hot in late spring or early summer and after it … Hairy bitter-cress is a common, edible weed of rocky areas, walls, gardens and cultivated ground. Clemson University. Hirsuta is derived from the latin hirsutus, meaning "somewhat hairy". 1997. Weeds of Kentucky and adjacent states: a field guide. Hairy Bittercress, Wintercress, Common Bittercress, Snapweed, or Shotweed . It is most often found in irrigated or shaded areas but can grow in full sun. Photos: Peter Landschoot, Penn State. Hirsuta means "hairy" or "hirsute". Hairy Bitter Cress (Cardamine hirsuta) clump flowering in chalk grassland meadow, Wiltshire, UK, April. Be careful when pulling up weeds that have gone to … The seed capsule is up to 10 times longer than it is wide. Hirsuta is derived from the latin hirsutus, meaning "somewhat hairy". Although many homeowners may view the hair bittercress a pest, the plant is edible and has other good attributes. It’s best to use hairy bittercress as soon as possible because the plant wilts quickly. Hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) is a really unfortunate name for a wonderfully tasty edible weed.Bittercress is a mustard, so its bitterness is more spicy-hot than bitter, though it’s not nearly as hot as some other members of the Brassicaceae family. It can become very prolific in a short time, filling in gaps within your normal grass. Weed Photos: Courtesy of Dr. Lambert McCarty. Find the best value for spot treatment or broadcast treatments, comparing multiple options. Hairy Bittercress, Lambs Cress, Land Cress, Spring Cress, Hoary Bittercress, Shot Weed, Flick Weed : Scientific Name: Cardamine hirsuta : Season Start: Jan : Season End: Dec : Watch our videos on YouTube. Celsius WG Herbicide. Warmer temps and spring-like weather are welcomed by many. Make your post-emergent herbicide application when hairy bittercress is young and actively growing. Both hairy bittercress and common chickweed are winter annuals. Hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) is a winter or summer annual weed (depending on location). Described as ephemeral, continued short generations bedevil you for the rest of the year. Hairy bittercress occurs on bare soil, in woodlands, and sometimes in light grassy areas. Center: Hairy bittercress stems with flowers and seed pods. They grow in recently disturbed soil, open ground, waste places, lawns, and greenhouses … so they’re basically everywhere that you might want to be planting things! Previous Next. Hairy bittercress occurs on bare soil, in woodlands, and sometimes in light grassy areas. LEARN HOW TO STOP THE INVASIVE SPOTTED LANTERNFLY, Coronavirus: Information and resources for the Extension Community, Pinnately compound leaves with rounded leaflets. Using a flame gun weed burner on the soil or paths will destroy the plants and any seed on the surface. The leaves have 1-7 leaflets. Known as a winter weed, Hairy Bittercress is an annual in most climates. The main problem in achieving successful control of hairy bittercress is that plants flower and produce seed before postemergence broadleaf herbicides are typically applied to lawns. If you need a postemergent herbicide, look for one that lists hairy bittercress on the label and follow the label instructions. Herbicides applied post emergence need to have two different active ingredients. This plant is growing in my back yard. Hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) is a member of the mustard family (Brassicaceae). Bittercress germinate and grow in very small piles of debris, even on top of weed fabric. Bittercress often forms on the top of container-plants but can be a real nuisance in borders. Seeds germinate from late summer through fall. Those marketed as “fast acting” are contact weedkillers – killing or damaging the plant tissue they are sprayed onto or make contact with. Just take care to only spot treat this plant to minimize the impact that chemicals can have on soil life. Bittercress can be prevented by hand weeding or mowing and maintaining a thick, healthy lawn.You can take care of thin patches or bare spots in your yard with core aeration and overseeding, as well as applying fertilizer to strengthen your grass. It likes dry slopes, juniper meadows, forest margins, wasteland, crags, rocky outcrops, sometimes as a gardens weed. This weed can complete its lifecycle in three to four weeks to disperse thousands of seeds, all of which can germinate to release their own seeds in quick succession. Hairy bittercress - Cardamine hirsuta Edible plant - novice Other common names: Hoary Bittercress, Flick Weed, Lamb's Cress, Hot Weed, Spring Cress Scientific name meaning: The greek word Kardamon, which means "cress-like", is the origin of the genus name Cardamine. Hairy Bittercress is easy to remove from the soil with a hoe or by hand and it’s important to do so as it can quickly smother beds containing your small vegetable seedlings, competing with them for space and light. I remember seeing it as a kid but haven't seen it growing in a long time. Hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) (see image above) is an annual species, common throughout the British Isles, particularly on bare ground, path-sides, and on walls. Herbicide options for hairy bittercress control. Seedlings: Hairy Bittercress cotyledons (3 mm long (~1/10”)) are rounded, hairy on the surface, and form on long petioles. Left unchecked, hairy bittercress can quickly spread to infest the whole garden. Once established, it is VERY difficult to eradicate. Right: Hairy bittercress stems with multiple seed pods produced after flowering. Another option is to spot-treat the weed with a broadleaf postemergent herbicide when the weeds are actively growing in the spring. I am a horticultualist in south east PA. Hairy Bittercress Weed Killer Cardamine hirsuta Herbicide. Its seeds germinate in fall beginning as early as September. The “hairy” in its name is derived from the tiny “hairs” on its leaves and stems. Hairy bittercress is variable in size and leaf shape. Entering your postal code will help us provide news or event updates for your area. It germinates in empty spaces and soon starts fizzing out seed all over your previously immaculate garden. Leaves at the base of the plant are larger than the leaves at the top of the plant. Ferti-lome Weed-Out Lawn Weed Killer with Trimec. Young, non-flowering, specimen of Hairy Bittercress / Cardamine hirsuta growing in bare earth. Control with a broadleaf postemergent herbicide (see this publication Broadleaf Weed Control in Established Lawns) when the weeds are actively growing in the spring. Hairy bittercress is a winter annual weed. This weed is very noticeable in early spring during its peak flowering period; however, it becomes less conspicuous after stems are removed by mowing and as turfgrass growth rate increases in late spring. During winter months you can easily identify it by the small basal rosette (cluster) of leaves on the ground. It germinates in the fall and will continue to grow during warm spells throughout the winter. Common broadleaf herbicides are effective for controlling Hairy Bittercress. For best results, treat during rosette stage. Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine Hirsuta) is a winter annual weed that begins growing in late fall and resumes growing in late winter and early spring, often before other plants wake up from their winter slumber. DiThomaso. Weed. Photo: Peter Landschoot, Penn State. Flowering almost all year-round, this plant self-pollinates; when the seeds are ripe they burst from their pods and can be dispersed up to a metre away in all directions, especially … Leaves at the base of the plant are larger than the leaves at the top of the plant. 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. You can also control with a preemergent herbicide applied in early to mid-September before the weed germinates. Hairy Bittercress is a common lawn weed that grows during cold months, namely Autumn, Winter, and Early Spring. This weed can be controlled with various preemergence and postemergence herbicides. Its ability to remains green throughout the winter means this plant plays a crucial role for the wild forager as it supplies essential vitamins and minerals through the Winter, It is best eaten though in January and February. Image 70 DG. Hairy bittercress is a winter annual or biennial plant in the mustard (Brassicaceae) family native to Europe and Asia, but also present in North America. Hairy bittercress is found from Maine to Florida, west to Nebraska and Texas. The subsequent leaves that emerge on the plant have 2-4 pairs of alternate leaflets and a larger terminal leaflet. Hairy bittercress spreads by seed. 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