Denzil

FOTD: Lady’s Smock

Lady's Smock

Cardamine pratensis, commonly known as Lady’s Smock, is a herbaceous perennial plant that belongs to the family Brassicaceae. At this time of the year – in Western Europe anyway – damp meadows and roadside ditches can be a mass of Lady’s Smock.

It is believed that it is named because its flowers resemble the smock or chemise worn by women in the Middle Ages. Lady’s Smock is also known by other common names, including Cuckooflower, Milkmaids, and Meadowcress.

Several insect species feed on lady’s smock. The most notable is the Orange tip butterfly (Anthocharis cardamines), whose larvae feed on its leaves. The Cuckoo bee (Nomada spp.) is partial to the nectar of Lady’s Smock.

For Cee’s Flower of the Day.

Lady's Smock

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