By Avkq47
Worcestershire,
United Kingdom 
Weed i.d. please ... I call them 'hundreds and thousands' and have been meaning to ask someone for 'proper name' for years, having received so many different coloquial answers. Rounded small leaves off a single stem, producing tiny white flowers in even the smallest plant. When they go to seed, which is very fast!, and you pull them up they pop everywhere, hence 'one year's seed is seven years' weed'!! I have taken to dropping a bag over the seeded ones before pulling them up to try and stop the spread. What are they properly called?
22 Dec, 2011
Answers
Thank you MG - not been given that name before and can now check it out further. Thank you.
22 Dec, 2011
New Zealand Bittercress, in fact, Cardamine corymbosa. We also call them 'poppers' when being polite. It is a New Zealand introduction in the compost of other plant material and has become a major problem in gardens and horticulture.
22 Dec, 2011
Unbelievable ... from the Wildflower Society ... "each individual flower is very beautiful when examined under a hand lens. They are also some of the first plants to flower in the spring and they include some handsome garden relatives." And another quote "Bittercresses are in the cabbage (or cress) family which was, until recently, known as the Cruciferae. This useful name is derived from the Latin word "crux", meaning a cross, and refers to the “cross-shaped” arrangement of the four petals in each flower. The family name now in favour is the rather less appealing Brassicaceae." I live and learn ... they make these weeds sound appealing - first to flower in the spring?! Tosh - they flower all year round!
22 Dec, 2011
Yup they do Avkq but they also start flowering very early in spring... remember a weed is only a plant in the wrong place - sadly I can't think of a 'right' place for bittercress!
22 Dec, 2011
a few small/young leaves add a peppery tang in a dull salad. but i too get too many to cope with eating them. the pet rabbits like them but even they cant keep up. saving grace is they dont have a tap root :o)
23 Dec, 2011
Yes, MG, the difference between weeds and wild flowers just depends on their location. Amusingly enough, the buddleja weed which grows everywhere it can find a crack in a brick wall, is desired in gardens, but the lovely purple loosetrife, and yellow leopard's bane is not ... I plant it anyway - give it the latin name, and no problem!!
Never thought of eating 'bittercress', seaburngirl, but now I know its name and origin, and on your recommendation, I will be giving it a try. Thank you for your suggestion - waste not want not, and I always worry about those seed heads going back into my compost!
23 Dec, 2011
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Bittercress a royal pain to keep under control :-(
22 Dec, 2011