Bittercress

Bittercress is a fiery plant that tastes of mustard. You can pick it throughout winter if it's growing in running water that hasn't frozen over.

  • Where to Find It

    Bittercress grows all over Denmark in nutrient-rich soil and in moving water. You'll typically find it along streams, creeks, or ditches where the water delivers a constant supply of nutrients to the soil. It can also pop up in places where there's lots of moisture in the soil due to underground flows. Look along streams for green mounds with splashes of small, white flowers.

  • Streams, deciduous forests, roadsides.
  • When to Find It

    You can harvest bittercress from November until June, but if you want an intensely sharp flavor, it's best to pick it in winter. The plant flowers in May and June.

  • Entire plant: November, December, January, February, March, April, May, June.
    Flowers: May, June.
  • How to Spot It

    Bittercress has a white-pithed, upright stem that typically splits into a couple of branches. Oval or spoon-shaped leaves form along in stem in facing pairs. The leaves have a smooth surface. The small, white flowers grow in clusters at the top of the stem.

  • How to Pick It

    Clip the stem off the bittercress right above the bottom branch. Remember to pick from several plants and taste-test your way around so that you take from plants that have the flavor intensity you're looking for.

Risk of misidentifying the plant

There is no risk of mistaking the plant for another dangerous or undesirable plant.