Dicentra cucullaria (Linnaeus) Bernhardi. Common name: Dutchman's Britches, Dutchman's Breeches. Phenology: Mar-May; May-Jun. Habitat: Rich, moist forests, especially rich cove forests in the mountains. Distribution: NS west to n. MN, south to GA, ne. MS (Tishomingo County), AR, and KS; disjunct in WA, OR, and ID.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Taxonomy Comments: A tetraploid species (2n=32) (Hatcher 2019).
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, Can, F, FNA3, G, GrPl, Il, K4, Mi, Mo3, NE, NS, NY, Pa, POWO, RAB, Tat, Tn, Va, W, WV; = Bicuculla cucullaria (L.) Millsp. — S, S13. Basionym: Fumaria cucullaria L. 1753
Links to other floras: = Dicentra cucullaria - FNA3
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Heliophily ⓘ: 1
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© Gary P. Fleming
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: Dicentra cucullaria, Floyd County, Georgia 1 by Alan Cressler source
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: Dicentra canadensis (left), Dicentra cucullaria (right), Sosebee Cove, Chattahoochee National Forest, Union County, Georgia 2 by Alan Cressler source
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect-spreading, colonial perennial found in rich, moist forests, especially mountain cove forests.
Stems: Stems hollow at maturity, smooth.
Leaves: Leaves alternate, finely divided into many narrow segments (fern-like), silvery-green.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers dangling from a leafless stalk arched above the foliage; white; about ½ in. long; bilaterally symmetric and tubular, with 2 upward-projecting, narrow spurs (the "britches") and 2 small, yellow, spreading lips at the tube opening, which faces downward.
Fruits: Fruit a slender, tapering, beaked capsule.
Comments: Foliage very similar to D. canadensis, but the spur shapes differ and D. cucullaria is not fragrant.
Height: 4-12 in.
plant sale text: Like other spring ephemerals, Dicentra cucullaria blooms early in the Spring and goes dormant by Summer. The flowers are born on racemes and resemble old fashion pants hung upside down to dry; hence the common name Dutchmans breeches. In nature this species prefers rich moist forests and coves, rocky woods, slopes, ravines and stream banks but is intolerant of wet feet in the Winter. Dicentra cucullaria spreads by means of underground bulblets and can form large colonies when happy. All parts of this plant are poisonous, so please do not eat it!
bloom table text:
description: Erect-spreading, colonial perennial found in rich, moist forests, especially mountain cove forests.
stems: Stems hollow at maturity, smooth.
leaves: Leaves alternate, finely divided into many narrow segments (fern-like), silvery-green.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers dangling from a leafless stalk arched above the foliage; white; about ½ in. long; bilaterally symmetric and tubular, with 2 upward-projecting, narrow spurs (the "britches") and 2 small, yellow, spreading lips at the tube opening, which faces downward.
fruits: Fruit a slender, tapering, beaked capsule.
comments: Foliage very similar to D. canadensis, but the spur shapes differ and D. cucullaria is not fragrant.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: eastern North America & northwestern United States
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