Product Overview
White Variegated Watercress (Nasturtium officinale 'White Variegated')
An exciting new strain of the common watercress, white variegated watercress has pronounced bwhite variegation. The color may vary according to temperature, time of year, and amount of sun, and may fade in hot weather or deeper shade. This strain has so much white that it is slower growing than other watercress, since it has less green tissue with chlorophyll.
Watercress is known as being nutrient-dense, but did you know that it was listed as the most nutrient-dense food by both the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index and the CDC--watercress was the only food to receive a perfect score by both. A cruciferous vegetable related to broccoli (known for its cancer-fighting phytochemicals), watercress may also boast a higher essential mineral content than any other plant.
Watercress tends to be a short, creeping/spreading plant, although in shade or when crowded it can get fairly tall by midsummer. It can be grown as a regular garden plant if it has constant moisture, but in hot conditions watercress does best in shade and the shallow running water of a streambed. Rather than planting it in standing water, it is best to plant along the edge of the streambed or pond and let it grow into the water. It generally keeps some live leaves and/or stems through winter down to Zone 6 or 7.
Because watercress likes cool weather, it grows well in Spring and acts as an excellent filtering plant, helping keep the pond clean. Spring is also the best time to harvest leaves and stems for salads, soups and stews (and sandwiches!)--once the clusters of small white flowers appear in Summer, leaves can have a bitter flavor. Plants may be trimmed back to encourage new growth and delay flowering; this keeps plants fresh looking and extends harvesting.
The regular green watercress is native to Eurasia and Asia but naturalized all over the US, to the point that most people consider it to be native.
We recommend buying watercress in Spring to reduce plant stress from shipping in hot weather, especially in warm summer climates. We may ship plants in Spring as cuttings or in small pots, depending on availability; in Summer, we ship only in small pots as plants handle shipping in hot weather better in pots. Watercress leaves also tend to turn yellow in shipping during the warmer months, but quickly recover so long as they have a good stem and root system.
Hardiness Zone: 3-10
Planting Container: We recommend a small planting container, or just place between rocks in a streambed or pond edge.
Light Requirements: full sun to part shade, depending on climate; in warm climates, use shade and running water
Height: 6"-15" - Spread: 24"+
Water Depth: Moist soil to 3" moving water in streambed (Maximum water depth is for mature plants)
For planting instructions see our guide for shallow water plants.
