Native Plants of the Great Lakes
North Branch Restoration Project:
Native Plant and Seed Collection
Dentaria Laciniata / Family:
Brassicaceae
Cut-Leaved Toothwort, Swink/Wilhelm # 5
FLOWERING: End of March to May.
SEED TIMING: Early June.
HABITAT: Rich moist woods. Bottomlands.
DIAGNOSTIC FEATURES: 8 - 12 inches high. Usually 3 deeply
cut leaves in a whorl midway up stem. 4 petaled white to pale
lavender flowers. Grows in large colonies.
TO PICK: 3 to 4 weeks after flowering, typical mustard
pods (siliques) begin to form. They grow to full length in 2 to 3
weeks and will begin to swell and look plump. Check to see if seeds
inside are dark green and if some pods have already opened and lost
their seed. Curl hand around spike and pinch stem with thumbnail.
(Ripe pods will “explode” and shoot out their seeds when lightly
touched). Allow siliques to dry and pop open in a closed paper bag. |
