Does it spread quickly?

It spreads slowly through underground rhizomes.

When does it disappear?

The foliage typically yellows and goes dormant by early summer.

Plant guide

Cutleaf toothwort.

Cardamine concatenata

Pronounced kar-DA-mi-nee kon-ka-te-NA-ta

Also known as cut-leaf toothcup, cut-leaved toothwort, five-part toothwort, toothcup, Slender Toothwort

cut-leaved toothwort — Photo by Judy Gallagher (CC BY-SA) via iNaturalist

This charming woodland wildflower is a true harbinger of spring. It features delicate white to pale pink flowers that emerge from the forest floor before the trees leaf out. You will find it tucked away in moist, shaded areas.

Another photo of Cutleaf toothwort — Photo by Katja Schulz (CC BY) via iNaturalist

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Perennial
Light: Partial shade to full shade
Indoor light: Medium light
Water: Every 3 to 7 days
Mature size: 10 to 15 inches
Growth rate: Medium
Hardiness: USDA 3 to 8
Bloom time: Early to mid spring

Care

Keep the soil consistently moist to mimic its natural woodland habitat. Watch for the foliage to die back naturally as the weather warms up in late spring. It prefers cool, shaded spots that stay damp throughout the growing season.

Watering: Ensure the soil stays damp but never waterlogged.
Feeding: A light layer of compost in early spring is plenty.
Pruning: Remove dead foliage only after it has turned yellow and withered.
Repotting: Divide the rhizomes during the dormant season if the colony becomes too crowded.
Soil: Rich, moist, organic soil
Soil pH: 6.0 to 7.0
Temperature: -30 to 25°C
Humidity: 40 to 70%
Drought tolerance: Low
Lifespan: Perennial, typically 5 to 10 years
Deer and rabbits: Moderate

Safety

People: The plant is generally considered non-toxic but may cause mild irritation due to its mustard oil content.
Children: The plant is not considered a significant risk to children, but ingestion of any wild plant should be discouraged.
Contact allergens: The sap can cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals.
Airborne allergens: There are no notable respiratory allergens associated with this plant.
Edibility: While the leaves are technically edible, they contain mustard oils that can cause digestive upset if consumed in large quantities.

How to identify it

Deeply lobed palmately compound leaves
Clusters of four petaled white flowers
Fleshy white underground rhizomes
Stems often tinged with purple

Height: 0.15 to 0.3m
Spread: 0.15 to 0.25m
Leaves: green, deciduous
Flowers: white, pink, 1 to 2cm
Fruit: green, Late spring

Problems to watch for

Slugs and SnailsCommon
Downy MildewUncommon
Leaf SpotUncommon
Root RotUncommon

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

Check your cutleaf toothwort from a photo

Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your plant and tells you what's wrong and what to try first.

Growing it

Propagation: division, seed
When to plant: fall, early spring
Overwintering: The plant survives winter as a dormant rhizome underground. No special protection is needed.
In containers: It is not well suited for containers as it requires specific woodland soil conditions.

Division

1. Carefully dig up the rhizomes in late summer or fall.
2. Gently break the rhizomes into smaller sections.
3. Replant the sections in moist, organic-rich soil.

Pair this with summer-growing ferns to hide the space left behind when the toothwort goes dormant.

Grows well with

Trillium · They share similar woodland habitat requirements.
Wild Ginger · It provides a nice foliage contrast once the toothwort goes dormant.

Similar species

Two-leaved Toothwort · It is a closely related species with similar growth habits.

Science

Family: Brassicaceae
Genus: Cardamine
Order: Brassicales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Eastern North America
Conservation: This plant is secure throughout most of its native range.

It thrives in the rich, moist soil of deciduous forests where it can access sunlight before trees leaf out.

Value to wildlife: early nectar source
Pollinators: bees, butterflies
Uses: woodland garden, native plant garden, ground cover

Through the year

JFMAMJJASOND

Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 1/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Light: 3/9
Temperature: 4/9
Moisture: 6/9
Nutrients: 5/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Does it spread quickly?: It spreads slowly through underground rhizomes.
When does it disappear?: The foliage typically yellows and goes dormant by early summer.

Where the name comes from

The name Cardamine comes from the Greek word for cress, while concatenata refers to the linked, tooth-like segments of the rhizome.

Good to know

It is commonly known as cutleaf toothwort.
The roots have a peppery taste similar to horseradish.
It is a member of the mustard family.

Also in

Plants for shade

Keep your cutleaf toothwort growing

This page is a general guide. Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked.

Get the app

This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.