Hairy bittercress

Hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) is an annual species, common throughout the British Isles, particularly on bare ground, path-sides, and on walls. It may often be seen growing on the surface of containers in nurseries and garden centres and the seeds can be introduced into gardens unwittingly with container-grown plants.

Wavy bittercress (Cardamine flexuosa) is a biennial or perennial plant, common in moist shady places, such as by streams, throughout the British Isles. It may occasionally be troublesome in gardens, usually in moist or poorly drained soils.

Hairy bittercress (C. hirsuta) is the smaller of the two, sometimes growing just a few centimetres. Wavy bittercress (C. flexuosa) can grow strongly to reach around 50cm (18in) in height in damp conditions but is usually shorter in gardens.