Cardamine trifolia

RHS Plant Profile
three-leaved cuckoo flower

Save a plant

Where do you want to save Cardamine trifolia?

Plants I own
Wishlist
Go to My Plants
three-leaved cuckoo flower RHS

Other common names

trefoil cress

Herbaceous Perennial
Buy this from Plant Nurseries
19 Suppliers

A creeping perennial with three-lobed, dark green leaves. In late spring it produces clusters of open, cup-shaped, white flowers on 15cm stems

Position

Full shade, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Poorly–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full shade Partial shade
Aspect
North–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H5

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Brassicaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy
Genus
Cardamine are herbaceous perennials with simple, palmately or pinnately divided leaves and short racemes of 4-petalled white, yellow, pink or purplish flowers in spring or summer
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
C & S Europe

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in humus-rich, moist soil in full or partial shade

Propagation

Propagate by seed or division

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Wildlife gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Wildflower meadow
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids and flea beetles

Diseases

Generally disease-free