Plants

garden nasturtium

Tropaeolum majus

Family: Tropaeolaceae · Genus: Tropaeolum

nasturtium, Indian cress, monk's cress

Placenta I Ground cover No biomass production

garden nasturtium — George Chernilevsky · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

A fast-growing trailing or climbing herb, annual or short-lived perennial, native to the South American Andes and widely grown as an ornamental. All above-ground parts are edible — leaves, flowers and flower buds have a peppery, watercress-like flavour, and the green seed pods can be pickled as a caper substitute. It is widely used in companion planting as a trap crop for aphids and a pest repellent.

📚 Synonyms

Scientific synonyms: Tropaeolum hybridum hort., Tropaeolum quinquelobum Bergius

Götsch succession

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

Environment

Light requirement: Full sun
Water requirement: Moderate
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Waterlogging tolerance: Low
Soil pH range: 6–7.5
Preferred soil texture: Loamy, Sandy
Hardiness zones: 9–11
Frost tolerance: 0.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height: 0.3–1.8 m
Recommended spacing: 0.25–0.4 m
Root system: Fibrous
Root depth: Shallow
Growth rate: Very fast
Lifespan: 1–2 years
Time to first harvest: 2 months
Productive lifespan: 1 year

Biomes & climate

Atlantic Forest Suitable
Pampa Suitable

Köppen classes

Humid subtropical (Cfa) Suitable
Oceanic (Cfb) Suitable
Subtropical with dry winter (Cwa) Suitable
Subtropical highland (Cwb) Suitable
Warm-summer Mediterranean (Csb) Suitable

Where it fits in a guild

Garden nasturtium 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.

Design my guild

Free account — and the catalog stays open, no sign-up needed.

✂️ Management & Pruning

Pinch the tips of young shoots to encourage branching and more flowers, and cut back stems that grow too long or straggly. Continuous harvest of leaves, flowers and buds itself acts as pruning, keeping the plant compact and free-flowering.

📅 Phenology

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

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

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of garden nasturtium?

The first harvest of garden nasturtium comes around 2 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for garden nasturtium?

The recommended spacing for garden nasturtium is 0.25–0.4 m.

How tall does garden nasturtium grow?

At maturity, garden nasturtium reaches 0.3–1.8 m tall.

When does garden nasturtium fruit?

Fruiting of garden nasturtium occurs in December, January, February, March, April.

When does garden nasturtium flower?

Flowering of garden nasturtium occurs in October, November, December, January, February, March, April.

What stage and stratum does garden nasturtium occupy in a syntropic system?

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

Functions

Ornamental Pest trap Pest repellent Medicinal 🐝 Attracts pollinators

Propagation

Seed

Citations

Wikipedia (Tropaeolum majus) (scientific_name, common_names, description, strata, light_need, frost_tolerance_c, external_ids)
Companion-planting literature (functions)
Plants For A Future (PFAF) — Tropaeolum majus (pruning_notes, lifespan_years_min, lifespan_years_max, productive_lifespan_years, hardiness_zone_min, hardiness_zone_max)