Hairy Bittercress
How's that for a name?
How's that for a name?
How's that for a name?
So unfortunately named!
Hairy bittercress - -
One of the best early greens, it's really not hairy, and it's hardly bitter.
Reminiscent of water cress but milder in flavor, hairy bittercress is a super nutritious edible. It deserves a place at the table.
But this plant needs a PR makeover!
A super green!
How's that for a name?
How's that for a name?
Despised by many gardeners as a weed, this plant does "grow like a weed".
But for those who know it's real value, hairy bittercress is a prime foraging find in the late winter months.
It's in the same category as kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, etc.... the healthy cruciferous vegetables of the mustard family.
Even in winter
How's that for a name?
Even in winter
When I see hairy bittercress
popping up all around me
in late winter I’m like
“Ahhhh… let the foraging begin!!”
To me, it’s nature’s signal that a new foraging cycle has begun.
It will suddenly appear in lawns, flower beds, along paths, even in cracks where not much should grow.
And the window of opportunity for this plant is small. As spring warms up, hairy bittercress is gone.
To identify
Even in winter
Notice how the stems radiate out from a central point?
This circular arrangement of leaves is called a basal rosette.
Each stem has pairs of small roundish leaflets along its length.
The terminal leaflet is the largest.
It really is a pretty little plant.
Leaves and flowers
Leaves and flowers
Very soon after the rosette appears, a flower stalk will arise from the center, bearing tiny white flowers.
Each flower has 4 petals arranged in the shape of a cross.
This cross configuration gives the group its alternate family name, “Cruciferae”.
Cruciferous vegetables are celebrated for their phytochemical content and health-giving properties.
Seeds
Hairy bittercress flowers become little exploding seedpods.
Hence the nickname, shotweed.
This is a very effective method of seed dispersal.
Harvest and eat
Hairy bittercress is edible through its whole life cycle although it's best harvested early.
When it flowers, the stems become more fibrous.
Great on pizza and in salads!
Great on pizza and in salads!
Hairy bittercress works well with chickweed.
Combine them in late winter or early spring foraged salads.
Top your favorite pizza with the wild microgreens.
