Plants
Nasturtium
Tropaeolum majus · Tropaeolaceae
Nasturtium may be the most generous summer flower of all: it trails, cascades and blooms tirelessly from May until frost — and the entire plant is edible, from the peppery-hot leaves through the glowing flowers to the buds. And it is child's play to grow. We source our young plants in sturdy nursery quality via the Veiling Rhein-Maas.
- Light
- Sunny to part-shaded.
- Watering
- Regular — the soft leaves wilt quickly in drought but recover just as fast.
- Care level
- Easy
- Botanical
- Tropaeolum majus
Garden nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) comes in trailing varieties that conquer two to three metres of fence or hanging basket, and in compact bush forms such as the Tom Thumb series for balcony boxes. The variety Alaska adds white-marbled foliage, Empress of India deep red flowers over dark green leaves.
The plant owes its heat to mustard oil glycosides — the same compound group as in cress and rocket. Leaves and flowers season salads and herb dips, while the still-green buds and seeds can be pickled in vinegar and used as mock capers.
For the site, an old gardeners' rule applies: sunny but lean. In over-fertilised soil, nasturtium produces enormous leaves and hardly any flowers — the most common mistake. Ordinary, unfertilised soil and regular watering are entirely sufficient.
In the kitchen garden it is doubly valuable: its flowers attract bumblebees and hoverflies, and as a sacrificial plant it draws aphids away from beans and roses. Simply cut out infested shoots; the plant regrows quickly.
Frost is the end: even light sub-zero temperatures collapse the soft shoots. In return it often self-seeds in mild spots, and the large seeds are easy to harvest and push into the soil again the following May — a rewarding project for children too.
Is Nasturtium toxic to children and pets?
- Children
- Non-toxic
- Cats
- Non-toxic
- Dogs
- Non-toxic
Nasturtium is considered non-toxic to cats, dogs and children — flowers and leaves are even edible. The mustard oils it contains can upset the stomach in large amounts; in normal quantities the plant is harmless.
Overview: toxic & non-toxic plants for cats, dogs and children
Care
- 01A sunny to part-shaded spot; full sun brings the most flowers.
- 02Use lean soil and do not feed — otherwise leaves instead of flowers.
- 03Water regularly without waterlogging; daily on hot days.
- 04Pick off spent blooms to extend flowering until frost.
- 05Train trailing varieties on strings or fences; put bush types in boxes and baskets.
- 06Cut out aphid-infested shoots instead of spraying — the plant is edible.
Frequently asked
- Can you really eat nasturtium?
- Yes, the whole plant: leaves and flowers peppery-hot in salads and on buttered bread, the green buds and seeds pickled in vinegar as mock capers. Only use unsprayed plants and, as with anything hot, season in moderation.
- Why is my nasturtium not flowering?
- Almost always the soil is too rich: with plenty of nitrogen the plant builds lush foliage and skimps on flowers. Do not feed, use lean soil and provide enough sun — flowering will then follow reliably.
- Is nasturtium toxic to cats or dogs?
- No, it is considered non-toxic to cats and dogs and, as an edible flower, safe around children too. Larger ingested amounts can upset the stomach because of the mustard oils, but the plant is not dangerous.
- Is nasturtium perennial?
- Not in our climate — it is frost-tender and grown as an annual. In its Andean homeland it grows as a perennial. In mild gardens it often self-seeds, and the large seeds are easy to harvest and sow again from May.