(c) 2011 Patty Hankins
One of the wildflowers that blooms in early spring in the Washington, DC area is Cut-Leaved Toothwort (most sources refer to it as cardamine concatenata – formerly known as Dentaria laciniata). I’ve seen it blooming as early as mid-March at the National Arboretum in DC. When the cut-leaved toothwort blooms – I know that the other wonderful spring wildflowers will soon be blooming as well.
(c) 2010 Patty Hankins
A member of the Mustard family (Brassicaceae) are edible. In early spring, used it leaves as an herb. The leaves were often cooked in bacon grease or soaked in vinegar. In the fall, the roots were used to add a peppery flavor to food.
(c) 2011 Patty Hankins
It was also used medicinally by Native Americans. It was used for everything from headaches to colds to heart disease. If men put it in their pocket, it could supposedly be used to attract women. Ceremonially, toothwort was used for divination. There are also reports of its use as a hallucinogen – where is supposedly could help mesmerize a person. Under the Doctrine of Signtaures, toothwort was useful for treating tooth problems.
(c) 2011 Patty Hankins
Cut-Leaved Toothwort is easy to identify once you know what it looks like. It grows to between 6 and 12 inches tall. The single stem is topped with a cluster of four petaled white or pink blossoms. The leaves are whorled with three toothed leaves on the upper part of the stem.
(c) 2011 Patty Hankins
Cut-Leaved Toothwort is native in the United States and Canada. It is found from the east coast to as far west as Texas in the south and North Dakota in the north. It prefers to grow in rich moist soils in partial shade.
(c) 2011 Patty Hankins
I’ve photographed Cut-Leaved Toothwort in several locations in the Washington DC area including the National Arboretum, in the Marsden tract along the C&O canal, at Turkey Run Park, and at McKee Beshers Wildlife Management Area. I’ve also photographed it along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee.
(c) 2011 Patty Hankins
If you’d like more information about Cut-Leaved Toothwort, you can find it on the following websites.
Kemper Center for Home Gardening
These are blooming in our woods right now, and I’ve been looking all over trying to figure out what they are. Thanks for the photos and information!