Nasturtium officinale Watercress (Cruciferae)

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Nasturtium officinale
Watercress
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The Nasturtium officinale plant species is found in Britain. It is a member of the Cruciferae family. Common gardeners may know the plant as Watercress. Some home gardeners know the variety as Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum. (L.)Hayek. Sisymbrium nasturtium-aquaticum.

Cultivation | Propagation | General Uses
Medicinal | Edible Uses

Latin Name:  Nasturtium officinale
Common Name:  Watercress
Family:  Cruciferae
Author:  R.Br.

Known Hazards:  Whilst the plant is very wholesome and nutritious, some care should be taken if harvesting it from the wild. Any plants growing in water that drains from fields where animals, particularly sheep, graze should not be used raw. This is due to the risk of it being infested with the liver fluke parasite[5, 244]. Cooking the leaves, however, will destroy any parasites and render the plant perfectly safe to eat[244].

Mature Height:  0.5   Mature Width:  1

Habitat:  Stream margins, ditches, flushes etc with moving water[17, 27], usually in chalk or limestone areas[52].

Propagation Notes: Seed - sow spring in a pot emmersed to half its depth in water. Germination should take place within a couple of weeks. Prick out seedlings into individual pots whilst they are still small and increase the depth of water gradually until they are submerged. Plant out into a pond in the summer. Cuttings can be taken at any time in the growing season. Virtually any part of the plant, including a single leaf, will form roots if detached from the parent plant[56]. Just put it in a container of water until the roots are well formed and then plant out in shallow water.

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Cultivation | Propagation | General Uses
Medicinal | Edible Uses

The information above has been supplied solely via the hard work and dedication of the team at 'Plants for a Future'.
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