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Habitats
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Cultivated Beds;
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Edible Uses
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Edible Parts: Flowers; Leaves; Oil; Seed; Seedpod.
Edible Uses: Condiment; Oil.
Leaves - raw[2, 7, 14, 15, 27, 37]. A hot watercress flavour[183]. Very nice on its own or as a flavouring in mixed salads[K]. Rich in vitamin C[201]. The leaves are available from early summer until the first frosts of the autumn[K]. Flowers - raw[2, 7, 14, 27, 37, 183]. A very ornamental and tasty addition to the salad bowl, the flowers have a hot watercress flavour and are available all through the summer[7, K]. The flowers contain about 130mg vitamin C per 100g[218]. Young seed pods - raw[2, 14, 15, 27, 37]. These are even hotter than the flowers or leaves[K]. They can also be harvested whilst immature and pickled for use as a caper substitute[183, 238]. Seed - raw or cooked[105]. Very hot[K]. The mature seed can be ground into a powder and used as a pepper substitute[183]. The seed contains 26% protein and 10% oil[218].
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Medicinal Uses
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Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antibacterial; Antibiotic; Antifungal; Antiseptic; Aperient; Depurative; Diuretic; Emmenagogue; Expectorant; Laxative; Stimulant.
Nasturtium has long been used in Andean herbal medicine as a disinfectant and wound-healing herb, and as an expectorant to relieve chest conditions[254]. All parts of the plant appear to be antibiotic and an infusion of the leaves can be used to increase resistance to bacterial infections and to clear nasal and bronchial catarrh[254]. The remedy seems to both reduce catarrh formation and stimulate the clearing and coughing up of phlegm[254]. The leaves are antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, aperient, depurative, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, laxative and stimulant[7, 21, 238]. A glycoside found in the plant reacts with water to produce an antibiotic[238]. The plant has antibiotic properties towards aerobic spore forming bacteria[61]. Extracts from the plant have anticancer activity[218]. The plant is taken internally in the treatment of genito-urinary diseases, respiratory infections, scurvy and poor skin and hair conditions[238]. Externally it makes an effective antiseptic wash and is used in the treatment of baldness, minor injuries and skin eruptions[238]. Any part of the plant can be used, it is harvested during the growing season and used fresh[238]. The German Commission E Monographs, a therapeutic guide to herbal medicine, approve Tropaeolum majus Nasturtium for urinary tract infections, cough, bronchitis (see [302] for critics of commission E).
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Other Uses
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Insecticide; Oil; Repellent.
The seeds yield a high percentage of a drying oil that can be used in making paints, varnish etc[7]. The growing plant attracts aphids away from other plants. Research indicates that aphids flying over plants with orange or yellow flowers do not stop, nor do they prey on plants growing next to or above the flowers[201]. An insecticide can be made from an infusion of leaves and soap flakes[201].
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Cultivation details
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Tolerates most soils[202], though it prefers a rich light well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade[14, 15, 37]. More and lusher leaves are produced when the plant is growing in a rich soil, though less flowers are produced[238]. When grown in a soil of low fertility the leaves are smaller and less lush, though more flowers are produced[200, K] The plant will also succeed in very poor soils[202]. It dislikes drought[37]. This species is not frost hardy in Britain but it is often grown in the flower garden as an annual when it will frequently self-sow[37]. In cold springs, however, the seed will often not germinate until mid or even late summer, which is too late to produce a reasonable crop[K]. A very ornamental and free-flowering species, it is often in bloom from early summer until cut down by the autumn frosts[K]. A climbing plant, it supports itself by twisting its leaf stalks around other plants etc[219]. There are many named varieties, some of which are low-growing forms that do not climb[183, 202, K]. The flowers have a very pleasing mild scent[245]. The Gleam Hybrid cultivars are more strongly scented[245]. A good companion plant in the garden, growing well with radishes, cabbages and fruit trees, improving their growth and flavour[14, 20]. A good companion for many plants, keeping many harmful insects at bay and also improving the growth and flavour of neighbouring crops[201]. Aphids on nasturtiums indicate a lime deficiency in the soil[20]. Slugs and snails love eating this plant, so it can be grown to attract them away from other plants[201]. The caterpillars of the cabbage white butterfly can be a nuisance and often cause considerable damage to the leaves[219].
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Propagation
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Seed - sow April in situ. The seed usually germinates within 2 weeks. Seed can also be sown in March in pots in a greenhouse and planted out in late spring or early summer.
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Links / References
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[K] Ken Fern Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
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[2]Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
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Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
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[7]Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants.
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Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.
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[14]Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs.
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A good herbal.
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[15]Bryan. J. and Castle. C. Edible Ornamental Garden.
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A small book with interesting ideas for edible plants in the ornamental garden.
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[20]Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening.
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Fairly good.
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[21]Lust. J. The Herb Book.
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Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
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[27]Vilmorin. A. The Vegetable Garden.
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A reprint of a nineteenth century classic, giving details of vegetable varieties. Not really that informative though.
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[37]Thompson. B. The Gardener's Assistant.
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Excellent general but extensive guide to gardening practices in the 19th century. A very good section on fruits and vegetables with many little known species.
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[61]Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
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Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
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[105]Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
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The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
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[183]Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
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Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
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[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
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Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
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[201]Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting.
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A well produced and very readable book.
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[202]Davis. B. Climbers and Wall Shrubs.
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Contains information on 2,000 species and cultivars, giving details of cultivation requirements. The text is terse but informative.
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[218]Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China
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Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
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[219]Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls
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A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls.
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[238]Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
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A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
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[245]Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World.
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An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
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[254]Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants
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An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
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[301]Karalliedde. L. and Gawarammana. I. Traditional Herbal Medicines
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A guide to the safer use of herbal medicines.
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[302]From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Commission E
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commission_E
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Subject : Tropaeolum majus
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