Family: crucifers (Brassicaceae)
Flowering time: April–June
Size: 10–30 cm
Habitat: forests
Nine-leaved cress (Cardamine enneaphyllos) is a perennial that spreads in the soil with a horizontal creeping rhizome. From it early in spring an erect bare stem shoots up, on which usually develop three trifoliate leaves. They are arranged in a whorl and have serrated margins. Its pale-yellow flowers are about 1.5 cm long. The petals do not unfold, so the flowers are bell-shaped. At the top of the stem, a few flowers form an inflorescence that is initially dense, later upright. The fruits are siliques, 5–7 cm long.
Nine-leaved cress thrives in the shelter of forests, as it prefers shady habitats on moist and fertile soils.
