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watercress

Nasturtium officinale W.T.Aiton

Family: Brassicaceae · Genus: Nasturtium

Placenta I Ground cover No biomass production
Andrew Tree · CC BY · iNaturalist

Aquatic or semi-aquatic leafy green of European origin, naturalized in Brazil. Pasini lists it in the low stratum of Tabela 3. Grows in moist soils near springs; cultivated in small quantities in agroforestry systems with running water.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Placenta I
Ecological role
Pioneer
Primary stratum
Ground cover
Strata
Ground cover
Biomass class
No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement
Partial shade
Water requirement
High
Drought tolerance
Low
Waterlogging tolerance
High
Soil pH range
6–8
Preferred soil texture
Loamy, Clayey, Sandy
Hardiness zones
3–11

Morphology

Mature height
0.2–0.3 m
Root system
Fibrous
Root depth
Shallow
Growth rate
Very fast
Lifespan
≤ 1 year
Time to first harvest
2 months

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Watercress takes the Ground cover stratum in the Placenta I phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

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Emergent High Medium Low Ground cover · ≈0 m

🪴 Cultivation

Perennial herb that thrives in shallow water (~5 cm) or permanently waterlogged soil at the edge of springs and clean, running streams. Not drought-tolerant. Propagates readily by cutting — almost any stem segment roots in water during the growing season. Prefers cool water; in hot weather it may bolt and lose quality.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: September, October, November, December, January, February, March

Fruiting months: November, December, January, February, March, April

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of watercress?

The first harvest of watercress comes around 2 months after planting.

How tall does watercress grow?

At maturity, watercress reaches 0.2–0.3 m tall.

When does watercress fruit?

Fruiting of watercress occurs in November, December, January, February, March, April.

When does watercress flower?

Flowering of watercress occurs in September, October, November, December, January, February, March.

What stage and stratum does watercress occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, watercress belongs to the placenta i stage, occupying the ground cover stratum.

Functions

🍎 Fruit

Propagation

Seed, Cutting

Citations

  1. Pasini, F. & Guimarães, L. (2017) — Tabela 3 (Incaper) , p. 116 (primary_stratum)
  2. Plants For A Future (PFAF) — Nasturtium officinale (height_min_m, height_max_m, hardiness_zone_min, hardiness_zone_max, soil_texture_preference, water_need, waterlogging_tolerance, propagation, phenology, cultivation_notes)
  3. POWO / Kew — Nasturtium officinale W.T.Aiton (scientific_author, external_ids)
  4. GBIF Backbone — Nasturtium officinale R.Br. (external_ids)

External references

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