Watercress Seeds (Nasturtium officinale)

Delicious, and nutrient-dense, this semi-wild vegetable is also surprisingly easy and interesting to grow.

A member of the mustard-family, watercress has a delicious “bite” which is excellent both raw (e.g. in sandwiches, sushi, and salads), or cooked like a leafy mustard green which reduces its pungency (try it flash sauteed, or added to soups like miso). High in numerous vitamins, exceptional and unparalleled in flavor, watercress is also easy to grow which makes it surprising that this excellent plant is still an uncommon and expensive grocery store item. 

As the name suggests, watercress does love water and actually grows wild as a semi-aquatic plant in limestone rivers of Europe and Central Asia. Where it is one of the oldest-documented leafy greens consumed by humans. Yet contrary to popular lore, watercress does not need cold, clean, flowing water to thrive. Rather it is happy to occupy spaces close to human proximity (often growing along urban riverbanks in Europe) – and happily adapting to most any soil that is remains a bit muddy or semi-saturated. 

Plant this in your regular vegetable garden and water it daily for good yields, or simply sow in pots without drainage -- you can even try it on a sunny indoor shelf. Hydroponic systems are also efficient for large scale production. 

(If you do grow this great plant in water, take note of the lovely and impressive hollow floating stems that keep the foliage aloft, occasionally producing small clusters of edible white flowers).

Watercress is a vigorous and fast-growing perennial in good locations, allowing for multiple cuttings throughout the growing season. Moreover, you can make more watercress plants by placing cuttings in water until they develop roots for transplanting.

Approximately 800+ seeds (0.5 grams).