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Colorful,
edible, butterfly-like nasturtium blossoms have delighted gardeners
and cooks alike for centuries. At different times in their history,
they’ve been considered a vegetable, an herb, a flower, and even a
fruit! The name nasturtium comes from the Latin words for nose (nas), and
tortum (twist), referring to a persons’ reaction upon tasting the
spicy, bittersweet leaves. Renaissance botanists named it after
watercress, (Nasturtium officinale in Latin) which tastes similar.
The garden nasturtiums we grow today descend mainly from 2 species
native to Peru. The first, brought to Europe by Spanish
conquistadors in the late 15th to early 16th century, was Tropaeolum
minus, a semi-trailing vine bearing spurred, lightly scented
orange-yellow flowers with dark red spots on the petals and
shield-shaped leaves. According to Jesuit missionaries, the Incas
used nasturtiums as a salad vegetable and as a medicinal herb. In
the late 17th century, a Dutch botanist introduced the taller, more
vigorous Tropaeolum majus, a trailing vine with darker orange
flowers and more rounded leaves. Since Spanish and Dutch herbalists
shared seeds with their counterparts, the pretty, fragrant and
easy-to-grow plants quickly became widespread throughout around
Europe and Britain.
Nasturtiums were commonly known in Europe as Indian Cress or a
translation of “Capucine cress”, in reference to the flower shape,
which resembles Capucine monks’ hooded robes. Leaves of both species
were eaten in salads; unripe seeds and flower buds were pickled and
served as a substitute for capers. (We know now that these pickled
flower buds are high in oxalic acid and therefore should not be
eaten in large quantities.)
Their ornamental value was also appreciated: flowers were used in
nosegays, and planted to adorn trellises or cascade down stone
walls. They became especially popular after being displayed in the
palace flowerbeds of French king Louis XIV. |
 Renee's Garden
Nasturtiums:
Amazon
Jewel
Moonlight
Copper
Sunset
Alaska Mix
Empress of
India
Vanilla
Berry
Whirlybird
Cherries
Jubilee
Spitfire
To view and purchase the full line of Renee's Garden Seeds,
click here
Try some great recipes from
Renee's cookbooks:
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Although it is sometimes reported that nasturtiums were introduced
to the US by the Philadelphia seedsman Bernard McMahon in 1806, they
were recorded here as early as 1759. Thomas Jefferson planted them
in his vegetable garden at Monticello from at least 1774 onward.
Interestingly, in one entry in his garden book, he categorized it as
a fruit amongst others such as the tomato, indicating that he ate
the pickled seeds. Most nasturtiums grown at this time were the
tall, trailing orange variety.Over the course of the 19th century, breeders produced smaller, more
compact types that mounded neatly into containers or formed a
colorful, less sprawling edge to flower beds. Cultivars with cream
and green variegated foliage appeared, as well as the
vermilion-flowered Empress of India, with its strikingly contrasting
blue-green leaves. These developments paralleled the gradual shift
in the perception of nasturtiums from edible and herbal garden
mainstays to viewing them as ornamental landscape plants. Monet let
large swaths ramble along a walk at Giverny. The flowers and
long-lasting leaves were popular in Victorian bouquets and table
arrangements. Nasturtiums were still eaten, however, and were known
to help prevent scurvy, since the leaves are rich in Vitamin C. Later 20th century contributions to nasturtium breeding include the
introduction of varieties with spurless, upward-facing blossoms and
flowers that float higher above the leaves, perfect for bedding or
containers. A full spectrum of flower colors is now available,
including single colors—useful for landscape designs: pale yellow,
golden, orange, brick-red, cherry pink, salmon, crimson, and dark
mahogany. The recent interest in edible flowers, herbs, ornamental
kitchen gardens and heirloom flowers has helped keep a full array of
old and new cultivars available for every possible use. Here are my top 5 favorites:
Whirlybird: When I plant flowers in my mostly green vegetable
garden, I like a cheerful mix of rainbow colors. Whirlybird comes in
some of the most interesting shades like cherry pink and mahogany
among the usual red, orange and yellow—and it’s easier to clean any
stray bugs out of the spurless blossoms! Whirlybirds also produce
more flowers than some of the trailing types in richer soil, and
their compact habit allows the vegetables enough space.
 Amazon Jewel: All nasturtiums illuminate and reflect light wherever
they are planted but these variegated beauties in deep red, warm
orange, gold, lemon and rose, are absolutely the most dramatic. I
like these best to cover daffodil beds that have finished flowering,
or in a place where they can ramble and beautify a neglected corner.
 Moonlight, with its buttery yellow blossoms, is ideal for those who
prefer a more subtle color palette. It’s my favorite vining variety
for growing up a trellis; one year, some pale blue morning glories
intertwined through the pale yellow flowers and the effect was
dreamy.
 Empress of India: A collector’s heirloom with unusual blue-green
leaves and long-spurred, deep red flowers, Empress of India is
beautiful underneath tall summer-flowering bulbs or dahlias. It also
matches darker leaved vegetables such as kale or broccoli. Plant it
in children’s gardens to attract hummingbirds!
Growing Nasturtiums Nasturtiums are easy to grow, although the saying “Be nasty to
nasturtiums” is somewhat harsh: choose a well-drained site with soil
that is not too rich in nitrogen (since too much nitrogen results in
lots of foliage, but fewer blooms). I like to add compost in very sandy
soil, though, to help hold moisture. In areas with cool summers,
nasturtiums grow well in full sun, but in hot summer areas, afternoon
shade and plenty of moisture give best results. Press the large seeds
directly into the ground after no more frost is expected and the soil is
warmed up. In short-season areas, you can start seeds indoors, but this
usually isn’t worth the effort, since plants grow and flower quickly
once the weather turns warm. If you grow trailing varieties on a
trellis, help train and tie them up as needed, since they don’t produce
clinging tendrils.
Much folklore exists involving nasturtiums’ supposed ability to repel
pests due to their peppery taste and pungent scent. In my garden,
however, slugs enjoy hiding beneath the shade of their broad leaves (you
can collect them there!) and aphids adore them. For this reason, organic
gardeners often sow them at the base of fruit trees as a trap crop. My
neighbor, Dave, plants nasturtiums every season, swearing that they keep
pests off his tomato vines. Given the wealth of contradictory
information, I’ve concluded that planting nasturtiums will probably not
significantly affect the pest populations on your other crops!
 Eating Nasturtiums
For tastiest nasturtium leaves, keep the plants well watered, which
helps to moderate the spiciness of the leaves and flowers. I prefer to
toss them among sweeter greens like butterhead or crunchy Batavian
lettuce, rather than with other bitter greens. They add a refreshing
bite to a classic potato salad with hard-boiled eggs and a mayonnaise
dressing, and pair well with seafood. A handful of the bright colored
flower petals are delicious chopped into a shrimp or crab salad sandwich
filling, and the whole flowers and leaves make a great garnish for a
platter of grilled salmon.
 After picking nasturtium flowers for eating, make sure to double check
that you’ve washed out any insects that might be hiding within the
spurs! I prefer breaking the petals into salads rather than using them
whole to keep the flavor less overwhelming, but whole flowers make
beautiful and festive decorations. Another of my favorite uses of
nasturtium flowers (from the inspiring book Garden Crafts for Kids, by
Diane Rhoades) is as decorations atop frosted birthday cupcakes.
Children are invariably delighted that the flowers are edible, too!
Press the flowers on just before serving so that they look freshest and
most enticing. For grownup parties, use the petals to decorate any
savory open-faced sandwiches.
However you use them, spicy-sweet nasturtium flowers are a wonderful way
to introduce edible flowers from the garden to both children and
uninitiated adults.
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Easy, Colorful
Edible Nasturtiums
