General Culture:

Best grown in humusy, organically-rich, well-drained soils in part shade. In optimum growing conditions, plants will slowly naturalize by rhizomes to form colonies. Difficult to grow from seed.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

Toothwort (also commonly called cut-leaved toothwort) is a Missouri native spring wildflower which occurs in rich woods and wooded slopes throughout the State and typically grows 8-15" tall. This is a spring ephemeral which blooms in early spring before the leaves emerge on deciduous trees and goes dormant by late spring to early summer. Stems rise directly from rhizomes. Each stem has a whorl of three leaves near the middle of the stem, with each leaf divided into three, narrow, sharply-toothed, lance-shaped segments. A terminal cluster of four-petaled, white flowers (sometimes with a pink blush) blooms at the top of each stem. Flower petals are arranged in the shape of a cross. Synonymous with and sometimes still sold by nurseries as Dentaria lancinata. Although the leaves are toothed, the common name probably is in reference to the tooth-like projections on the fleshy rootstock. The toothworts are sometimes called pepperroots in reference to the spicy, radish-like flavor of the rhizomes which can be cut up and added to salads.