Cuckooflower

Common Name: Cuckooflower

Latin Name: Cardamine pratensis

Family: Brassicaceae

Cuckooflowers appear in spring and range in colour from pale pink to pale blue. The plant has many alternative names including lady’s-smock and milkmaid. The name cuckooflower probably comes from its early flowering which along with the arrival of the cuckoo marks the start of spring. The lower leaves resemble watercress leaves and can be eaten; they are rich in vitamin C. The plant is easily cultivated in the garden and is one of the main food-plants of the Orange-tip butterfly. The cuckooflower is a frequent plant in the Yorkshire Dales National Park and can be found in flower in April-May in damp grassland and woodland habitats.