Lepidium sativum
Cress
an annual member of the Lepidium genus in the family Brassicaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Brassicaceae
- Genus
- Lepidium
- Life cycle
- annual
- Height
- 0.45 m
- Fertility
- Insects
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Insects
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Young leaves - raw or cooked[3][11][7][8][12][2]. A hot cress-like flavour, it makes an excellent addition (in small quantities) to the salad bowl[K]. An analysis is available. Root is used as a condiment[10][13]. A hot pungent flavour, but the root is rather small and woody[K]. The fresh or dried seedpods can be used as a pungent seasoning[2]. The seed can be sprouted in relatively low light until the shoots are a few centimetres long and then be used in salads[2]. They take about 7 days to be ready and have a pleasantly hot flavour. An edible oil is obtained from the seed[10][13][1].
- Product or use
- Condiment
- Product or use
- Oil
- Plant part
- Leaves
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The leaves are antiscorbutic, diuretic and stimulant[10][5]. The plant is administered in cases of asthma, cough with expectoration and bleeding piles[5]. The root is used in the treatment of secondary syphilis and tenesmus[5]. The seeds are galactogogue. They have been boiled with milk and used to procure an abortion, they have been applied as a poultice to pains and hurts and have also been used as an aperient[5].
- Product or use
- Antiasthmatic
- Product or use
- Antiscorbutic
- Product or use
- Aperient
- Product or use
- Diuretic
- Product or use
- Galactogogue
- Product or use
- Poultice
- Product or use
- Stimulant
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The seed yields up to 58% of an edible oil that can also be used for lighting[14].
- Product or use
- Oil
Environment
- Range
- Of uncertain origin, possibly Iran. Naturalized in Britain.
- Habitat
- Not known in a truly wild situation.
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 7+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - if you want a succession of young leaves then it is possible to sow the seed in situ every 3 weeks in succession from early spring to early autumn. Germination is very rapid, usually taking place in less than a week. When sowing seed for use in mustard and cress, the seed is soaked for about 12 hours in warm water and then placed in a humid position. Traditionally, it is sown in a tray on a thin layer of soil, or on some moist blotting paper, and the tray is placed in a warm dark place for a few days to encourage rapid and rather etiolated growth. The seedlings can then be placed in a lighter position for a couple more days to turn green before being eaten. The cress seed should be sown about 3 - 4 days before the mustard for them both to be ready at the same time[6].
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils[12]. For the best results, however, it requires a moist soil and also some shade during the summer to prevent it running straight to seed[7][9][12]. Garden cress is often cultivated as a sprouted seed, there are some named varieties[2]. It is the cress of 'mustard and cress'. A very easy and fast crop, it can be ready within 7 days from sowing the seed[7]. It can also be grown outdoors as full grown plants and can provide fresh leaves for the salad bowl all year round from successional sowings. Plants can be overwintered outdoors to provide edible leaves all year round, though they will require some protection if temperatures fall below -5°c[4]. This plant is cultivated in Ethiopia for the edible oil from its seed[2].
References
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00
Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Vegetables Macmillan Reference Books, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0 333 62640 0
Vilmorin. A. The Vegetable Garden. Ten Speed Press ISBN 0-89815-041-8
Harrison. S. Wallis. M. Masefield. G. The Oxford Book of Food Plants. Oxford University Press 1975-00-00
Thompson. B. The Gardener's Assistant. Blackie and Son. 1878-00-00
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00
Mabey. R. Food for Free. Collins 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219060-5
Larkcom. J. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn 1980-00-00
Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202
Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00