Watercress
Nasturtium officinale W.T.Aiton
Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) is an aquatic mustard-family vegetable of streams; glossy pinnate leaves with a mild peppery bite, eaten raw or cooked; rich in vitamins C and K, calcium and iron — a familiar nutritious green.
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Watercress — Fresh bunchWatercress — Plant
Watercress — Leaves
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Watercress — Flower & buds close-up
Watercress — Plants by the waterWatercress — Fresh bunchWatercress — PlantOverview
Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) is a perennial herb of the mustard family (Brassicaceae), growing naturally along streams, flowing springs and clean ditches of temperate Europe and Eurasia. The hollow green stems creep on the water surface or root at the nodes, reaching 10–50 cm. The pinnate leaves consist of 3–9 round to oval leaflets with glossy, succulent blades and a characteristic mild peppery bite. The small four-petalled white flowers form terminal clusters with yellow stamens.
Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/10/2026
The fruit is a long slender siliqua with many tiny seeds. Watercress is grown in flowing beds or hydroponically, thriving in clean mineral-rich water, and is regarded as an indicator of water quality. With high levels of vitamins C, K, A, folate, calcium, iron and iodine, it is among the most nutritious greens; it is eaten raw in salads, wrapped in fresh rice paper rolls (bánh tráng), or cooked in soups, stir-fries and broths. In Vietnam watercress is grown widely around Da Lat and other cool-stream regions, a familiar daily vegetable.
Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/10/2026
Life cycle
From seed to productPlant
Creeping herb growing by water.
Leaves
Glossy pinnate leaves, mildly peppery.
Flowers
White four-petalled flowers in clusters.
Fresh vegetable
Fresh watercress for eating raw or in soups.
Distribution & origin
Share of recorded occurrences by region- Temperate Europe & Eurasia (native)30%
- Widely grown in Europe25%
- North America (naturalized)15%
- East Asia (China, Vietnam, Japan)15%
- Other regions (Australia, South America)15%
Chemical composition
Relative content in agarwood resin- Water94%
- Carbohydrates2%
- Protein2%
- Fibre1%
- Minerals & vitamins (C, K, A, calcium, iron)0.8%
- Other substances0.2%
Uses
- Food: eaten raw in salads, wrapped in rice-paper rolls, or cooked in soups, stir-fries and broths; mildly peppery — a popular green in Europe and East Asia
- Nutrition: abundant vitamins C, K, A, folate, calcium, iron and iodine; 100 g covers most of the daily vitamin K need
- Folk medicine: aids digestion, cools the liver, diuretic and blood-nourishing; used for vitamin and calcium deficiency and mild anaemia
- Environment & cultivation: grown in flowing water beds and hydroponics; sensitive to water quality, used as a bioindicator of clean water
Properties
- Form
- Aquatic creeping vegetable
- Taste
- Mildly peppery, aromatic
- Nutrition
- High in vitamins C, K, iron, iodine
- Use
- Raw, soups, stir-fry
Habitat & conservation
Watercress is native to Europe and temperate Eurasia, growing naturally along streams, flowing springs and clean ditches; it is now grown worldwide in flowing water beds or hydroponically. It likes cool, clean, mineral-rich water and tolerates cold well. In Vietnam it is grown widely around Da Lat and other cool-stream regions, eaten raw, cooked in soups, and used as a nutritious daily green.
Conservation
A species cultivated and naturalized worldwide, not yet assessed by IUCN (NE). Mustard family (Brassicaceae), genus Nasturtium.
References
- 1Plants of the World Online — Nasturtium officinale W.T.Aiton — Kew Science, 2026
- 2Watercress — mô tả, trồng trọt, dinh dưỡng — Wikipedia tiếng Anh, 2026
- 3Cải xoong — đặc điểm, công dụng — Wikipedia tiếng Việt, 2026
- 4西洋菜 Nasturtium officinale — 形態、栽培 — Wikipedia tiếng Trung, 2026
- 5Nguồn ảnh: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz (CC BY-SA 4.0) / SarKaLay (CC BY-SA 4.0) — Wikimedia Commons,
- 6Nguồn ảnh: Zeynel Cebeci (CC BY-SA 3.0) / Fukufukurou (CC BY-SA 4.0) / SAplants (CC BY-SA 4.0) / Masparasol (CC BY 3.0) — Wikimedia Commons,