Flower profile
Nuttall's toothwort
Cardamine nuttallii
Nuttall's toothwort (Cardamine nuttallii) is a flowering plant in the Brassicaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–April across the U.S.
Nuttall's toothwort is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Oregon it's most often seen in bloom in March–April.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Oregon
Quick look
Cardamine nuttallii is a species of cardamine known by the common name Nuttall's toothwort. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to California, where it grows in moist mountain habitats.
- It belongs to the Brassicaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 3 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Oregon. NatureServe
- In Oregon, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–April. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 3,074 research-grade sightings of it in Oregon, ranking #51 among the 184 flowers on our Oregon list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
In Oregon, most flowering sightings come in March–April.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed Not listed under the Endangered Species Act. USFWS ECOS does track it with the label “Species of Concern,” which is informal and gives no legal protection. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Oregon
- Not listed Not on Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Oregon. OAR 603-073-0070
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records nuttall's toothwort in 3 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
California, Oregon, Washington.
Oregon counties with USDA records: Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Hood River, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Wasco, Washington, Yamhill.
Names, range and relatives
Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 61 counties across 3 states; the most are in Washington (22), Oregon (21), California (18).
Other Cardamine on Bloomipedia (5): Cut-leaved toothwort, Milkmaids, Two-leaved toothwort, Narrow-leaved bittercress, Purple cress.
More from the Brassicaceae family (24 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Garlic mustard, Dame's rocket, Wild radish, Annual honesty, Western wallflower, Hoary alyssum, European searocket, Bitter wintercress.
More Oregon flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile CANU17.
- iNaturalist, Cardamine nuttallii: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Cardamine nuttallii (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Oregon: Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070).
- Oregon: Oregon noxious weed quarantine, A and B weeds (OAR 603-052-1200).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Cardamine nuttallii (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: botanygirl via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.