1 gram Organic Watercress seeds, Nasturtium officinale, USDA Organic
(60 days) Organic AvonaWatercress; Perennial Green, Nasturtium officinale. Open-pollinated, Zone 4, native to Europe. Start seeds indoors and transplant to cold frame, keeping watered, or direct sow in soggy stream bank. Also good in pots. Likes sunshine. Keep picked; it gets bitter once flowers form. Keep roots wet.
Super-nutritious, watercress has more vitamin C than an orange, more calcium than milk, and more iron than spinach. According to University of Connecticut researchers, watercress contains a compound that inhibits numerous types of cancers. Since ancient China and Egypt, it has enjoyed widespread culinary and medicinal uses.
Watercress is a member of the mustard family, which includes many well-known leafy and tuberous vegetables such as collared greens, kale, turnips, and radishes, as well as many problematic weeds such as garlic mustard. It is widely cultivated and is the same watercress commonly used as a salad green. It is also used as a garnish for meats and other dishes where a peppery or pungent flavor is desired. Its peppery taste enhances many a salad, soup and tea.
Most states have listed this species as invasive to wetlands.