Cuckoo Flower-A Plant Of The Mustards Family
Published · Flower Resource
This flower is also known as lady’s smock and it generally comes into bloom around the time when the cuckoo Flower starts to call and for this reason the name too. Cuckoo flower is the country flower Brecknockshire. The flower is usually seen blooming in the first days of the April. The flower is given many vernacular names that include Milkmaids, Fairy flower, May flower and Coco plant. It is a perennial species and can be found growing in Finland. The rosette leaves have 3 to 8 pairs of same sized leaflets that are clearly stalked. The flowers are pale pink or mauve in color and are delicate. Each flower has four petals although double flowered varieties also appear.
It is believed that this plant was grown under the cross of Christ and caught some of his blood. And thus in this way they are considered Holy Grail or Chalice of British hedgerow.
Uses of Cuckoo Flower
- They grow on wet grasslands, damp meadows, pond margins and along the banks of streams.
- The young leaves and shoots can be eaten raw or cooked as they are rich in vitamins and minerals.
- The leaves and young shoots that are harvested in spring tastes like water cress.
- The white flowers also make a pleasant nibble and they can add a delicious flavor to salads.
- The flower is also used in herbalism and the infusion of the leaves has been used to treat ingestion and promote appetite.
- They are also internally used in the treatment of chronic skin complaints, hysteria and asthma.
Interesting Facts
- The plants are shade tolerant and the flowers emit a foul smell.
- The smell goes away when the flower is pollinated.
- The young leaves of the cuckoo flower have a peppery taste and can be useful substitute for cress in sandwiches and salads.
- The plants of this genus are hardly troubled by browsing deer.
Soil needed
- The plant succeeds in the moist and wet soil.
- It requires full sun to partial shade.
How to plant
- You can sow the seeds outdoors in a seedbed in a shady position in the month of April.
- Plant the bulb in autumn or spring and you can divide the plant in spring or autumn.
- The large plants can be easily separated from the main plant.
- Propagation of the plant can be done through seedlings and division.
- You can also plant the larger corms direct into permanent positions but the smaller corms you should pot them inside for a year before planting them out.
Maintenance and Care
- Just walk over the seeds to embed them in the soil but do not cover them with the soil.
- The indoor plants should be left outside for 10 to 15 days before planting them outside to help h them acclimate to outdoor temperatures.
- Check leaves and flower buds occasionally for aphids and get them removed by washing the plant gently with insecticidal soap.