The Versatility of Nasturtiums

Nasturtiums (Tropaeloum majus), have been around for many years and there's over a hundred varieties of them, but did you know how versatile they are? The versatility of nasturtiums makes them a favorite among gardeners and chefs. Yes, they're edible!

The unfortunate thing about nasturtiums is that they are annuals. In some parts of the country with a more moderate climate, they may reseed themselves and actually be a perennial. However, for most parts of the country, they are annuals. They're a very prolific annual as they continuously bloom and are bushy compact plants. Nasturtiums hail from South America and found their way into our gardens by the Spanish Conquistadors and Europeans.

How versatile are nasturtiums? They have several functions in the garden; they come in different sizes, they're edible, they're very showy, and the deter wildlife and bugs. That's the versatility of nasturtiums.

The Greatest Versatility of Nasturtiums

The greatest versatility of nasturtiums is the different types of plants that you can grow and their different functions. With this species, you have the choice of trailing plants for container pots or along a high wall; a trellis variety that looks nice with blue Morning Glories or yellow Honeysuckle; dwarf varieties that make great borders; variegated nasturtiums that add color to any garden; and the standard bushy plants that look great in any garden or container pot.

You can add nasturtiums to your garden for whatever function you would like them to do. Just give them a sunny location and they'll do just fine.

Nasturtiums Are Completely Edible

Chefs love nasturtiums because the whole plant is edible including the seeds. Nasturtiums have a peppery flavor similar to watercress. They're packed with Vitamin C for a health benefit and the hotter the weather is, the hotter the flavor.

Here's an interesting fact about the versatility of nasturtiums; did you know that during World War II these peppery flowers were used as a pepper substitute? Actually, it was the mature seeds from the flowers that were ground up and used as pepper. You can still do this today.

The leaves and flowers make great additions to salads, pastas, sandwiches, omelette's, decorations on cakes and cupcakes, and as appetizers. Let me give you just one easy and very appealing appetizer recipe. Just take a 3 oz. package of softened cream cheese, 2 Tbsps. of sour cream or mayonnaise, about 2-3 Tbsps. of chopped fresh chives, and mix all the ingredients together. Stuff this mixture into nasturtium flowers. Use the leaves to decorate the sides of the dish and you have a very easy and attractive appetizer. Along the same lines, you can also stuff the nasturtium flowers with egg salad, ham salad, or chicken salad. The versatility of nasturtiums in food dishes makes this a 'green' plant.

A word of caution here: If you use pesticides on your plants, then don't eat them.

The Versatility of Nasturtiums As A Showy Plant

If given basic care of water and full sunshine, these plants will thrive by themselves and become bushy with lots of brilliant colored-flowers. Its colors used to be bright oranges, yellows, pinks, and reds, but there's new hybrids on the market with pastel colors and creams. Whatever color palette you prefer doesn't matter; these showy plants will bloom continuously all summer long until the first hard frost. Nasturtiums look great as an edging plant or a group of them planted together.

If you realize how showy these plants are, then you're in good company. Have you ever been to Monet's Garden in France? Monet has a pathway leading to his house that is edged with these beauties. Don't you think that nasturtium flowers in bloom are a perfect plant for Monet to paint?

Wildlife and Bugs Beware!

The versatility of nasturtiums includes repelling wildlife and bugs. The name itself comes from two Latin words meaning "nose" and "twisted". That's because smelling a nasturtium up close will give you a peppery smell that will twist your nose. Wildlife and bugs don't care for this plant and that's good news for your garden.

Bugs that are adversely effected by nasturtiums are aphids, whiteflies, cucumber beetles, squash bugs, and other insects. Snails don't like them either. As a result, many vegetable gardeners will plant nasturtiums in-between their veggie plants to ward off bugs and critters. It's an organic and green way to deter wildlife and bugs.

Sources: Sally's Place
Fine Gardening
Herbal Gardens
Old Fashioned Living