Cut-Leaved Toothwort (Dentaria laciniata)
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Perennial (hardy)
- Exposure
- Partial shade
- Frost limit
- −23.3 °C
Cultivation
An easily grown plant, preferring a rich light moist soil and the shade of deciduous trees. A very cold-hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to at least -20°c.
Propagation
Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 3 weeks at 15°c. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame for the first two years, planting them out when dormant in late summer. Division in early spring or after the plant dies down in the summer. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.
Edible uses
Root - raw or cooked. Added to salads or used as a relish. Leaves - raw or cooked. A peppery flavour.
Habitat
Rich damp woods and on calcareous rocky banks.
Native range
Eastern N. America - Quebec to Florida and west to Minnesota and Kansas.