Watercress
Nasturtium officinale
- Native to:
- Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Austria, Azores, Baleares, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canary Is., Cape Verde, Chad, Corse, Cyprus, Czechia-Slovakia, East Aegean Is., Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Kriti, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Madeira, Morocco, Netherlands, North Caucasus, NW. Balkan Pen., Pakistan, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Sardegna, Saudi Arabia, Sicilia, Sinai, Spain, Sudan-South Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Brassicaceae
- Genus:
- Nasturtium
- Species:
- Nasturtium officinale
- USDA Symbol:
- NAOF
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 120 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may,jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- white
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Green-veined white (Pieris napi)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, waterfowl, aquatic invertebrates
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, moisture-retentive loamy soil
- pH:
- 6.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Thrives in aquatic or semi-aquatic environments
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–14 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require light for germination; surface sow and keep constantly moist or submerged in shallow water.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI