Cardamine breweri, commonly known as Brewer’s bittercress, is a perennial herb native to the moist understory of coniferous and mixed forests, as well as to the edges of wetlands and bogs in western North America, from British Columbia to California and east to Colorado. It typically grows up to half a meter in height and features basal rosettes of oval leaves that may be pinnately divided into smaller leaflets. The plant produces a raceme of many small, white flowers, each with four petals, that bloom in the spring. The flowers are not particularly showy but are attractive to a variety of pollinators. The erect, slender silique fruit can reach up to 1 inch long and contains numerous small seeds.

Brewer’s bittercress is valued for its ability to thrive in moist, shaded conditions, making it suitable for woodland gardens, native plant gardens, and restoration projects. It prefers consistently moist soil and partial to full shade, mimicking the cool, damp environments of its native habitat. While it is not commonly used in ornamental horticulture, its ecological role in supporting pollinators and contributing to the understory diversity is notable. Gardeners should be aware that in ideal conditions, it can self-seed and spread, though it is not typically aggressive.CC BY-SA 4.0