Garden cress
A fast-growing, peppery herb rich in vitamins and minerals.
Garden cress (Lepidium sativum), also known as garden pepper cress, pepperwort, or poor man's pepper, is a fast-growing, edible herb. It is genetically related to watercress and mustard, sharing their peppery, tangy flavor and aroma. This annual plant can reach a height of 60 cm and is cultivated both on mass scales and individually, including hydroponically.
- field
- Edible herb / Agriculture
- known_for
- Fast-growing, nutrient-dense sprouts and leaves used in salads, sandwiches, and soups
- height
- Up to 60 cm (24 in)
- flower_size
- 2 mm (1⁄16 in) across, white to pinkish
- harvest_time
- 1–2 weeks after planting, at 5–13 cm tall
Lore & Background
Garden cress is an annual plant that can reach a height of 60 cm, with many branches on the upper part. Its white to pinkish flowers are only 2 mm across, clustered in small branched racemes. The plant is suitable for hydroponic cultivation and thrives in slightly alkaline water. In many local markets, demand for hydroponically grown cress can exceed supply, partly because cress leaves cannot be dried and can only be partially preserved. Consumers commonly acquire cress as seeds or, in Europe, as boxes of young live shoots. Edible shoots are typically harvested one to two weeks after planting, when they are 5–13 cm tall.
Reader's Guide
Garden cress is significant as a high-nutrient food, providing substantial amounts of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as several dietary minerals. Among dietary minerals, manganese levels are high (26% DV), while potassium and magnesium are present in moderate content. Its culinary uses include addition to soups, sandwiches, and salads for its tangy flavor; it is also eaten as sprouts, and the fresh or dried seed pods can be used as a peppery seasoning. In the United Kingdom, cut cress shoots are commonly used in sandwiches with boiled eggs and mayonnaise. Beyond food, garden cress is used in Ayurveda (known as chandrashoor or halloon) and in the Middle East as a medicinal herb. It is also frequently used in school biology experiments due to its fast germination and development on damp paper or cotton.
Did You Know?
- Garden cress is genetically related to watercress and mustard, sharing their peppery, tangy flavor.
- In the United Kingdom, cut cress shoots are commonly used in sandwiches with boiled eggs and mayonnaise.
- Garden cress is often used in school biology experiments because it grows readily on damp paper or cotton.
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