Nasturtium (Tropaeolum), also called capuchin, is a member of the Nasturtium family. This genus is represented by herbaceous plants, it unites about 90 species. The homeland of nasturtium is Central and South America, however, it has been grown in the middle latitudes for a very long time, and it is quite popular. This plant is unpretentious to growing conditions, and it also possesses demanded taste characteristics and medicinal properties. And also during flowering, nasturtium looks extremely impressive, and can become a decoration of any garden plot. This plant was brought to Russia from Holland, and at first they began to call it capuchin there, which is associated with the shape of the flower, which looks like a hood. However, over time, this plant increasingly began to be called nasturtium. The scientific Latin name "Tropaeolum" was given to the flower by Carl Linnaeus.
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Features of nasturtium
Nasturtium is a perennial or annual plant. Often it is a liana with succulent shoots, less shrubs are found. Often, the leaf plates are alternately lobed, whole-edged, thyroid or palmate-divided. Fragrant flowers can be double, simple or semi-double. They are zygamorphic, irregular, axillary and bisexual. They include 5 petals (in some cases more), the same number of sepals, and a funnel-shaped tube with nectar inside. The flowers are most often colored yellow or red. The fruit consists of 3 kidney-shaped wrinkled lobes, and in each of them round-kidney-shaped seeds ripen.
The shoots and flowers of this plant are distinguished by medicinal properties, and they are also used in the preparation of various culinary dishes.
Growing nasturtium from seeds
Sowing
For reproduction of nasturtium, the generative (seed) method is used. It is relatively easy to grow such a plant from seeds. The seeds of nasturtium are large enough. They are sown directly into open soil in the second half of May, while return frosts should be left behind.Make shallow (about 20 mm) holes, between which a distance of 0.25–0.3 m should be kept. Seeds are sown in a nesting way, with 3 or 4 seeds placed in 1 hole. If it is still cold at night, then the area with crops is covered with any covering material (for example, plastic wrap). Crops should be watered only with lukewarm water. The first seedlings will appear after 7-15 days.
Seedling care
You can also grow nasturtium through seedlings, in this case flowering will come earlier than when sowing seeds in open soil. For sowing, you need to use cups with a retractable bottom or peat. Seeds are sown in April or May, they are buried in the substrate by 20 mm, while 2 or 3 seeds are placed in 1 cup. Then the cups are rearranged in a cool (from 20 to 22 degrees) place. The first seedlings will appear after about 15 days. The emerging plants should be provided with good lighting so that they do not stretch, otherwise, after transplanting into open ground, they will hurt for a long time and not bloom. Since the root system of nasturtium is rather fragile and weak, and the leaf surface is large, the seedlings are not picked, and the seedlings are planted in open soil directly in the cups, without violating the integrity of the earthen coma.
Planting nasturtium in open ground
What time to plant
Planting of nasturtium seedlings in open soil is carried out in the first decade of June. For planting, you need to choose a sunny area that has reliable protection from cold winds. If this flower crop is grown in a shaded place, then its flowering will not be so lush and spectacular. The soil needs a light, nutritious, slightly acidic, and well-drained. If there is too much organic matter in the soil, then the greens near the bushes will grow very intensively, but they will not bloom. When growing nasturtium on overly depleted soil, its leaf plates become small, which makes the shoots look naked, and the flowering loses its high decorative effect. If you choose stagnant wet soil for planting, then the plant will rot.
Landing features
As mentioned above, seedlings are planted in open soil in the first days of June. The plants are planted together with peat cups or with a lump of earth, while you should be extremely careful, because the root system of the seedling can be easily injured. The distance between the plants directly depends on their variety and species, and it can vary from 0.2 to 0.4 m. At first, the planted plants will need to be covered overnight. Flowering will begin after 4-6 weeks.
Caring for nasturtium
It is very easy to care for nasturtiums. They need to be watered and weeded in a timely manner. If, after the seedlings were planted on the site, you covered its surface with a layer of mulch, then this will avoid a grueling fight with weeds. At the very beginning of active growth, special attention should be paid to systematic watering, which should be abundant. After flowering begins, watering should be arranged only when the soil dries up, but if it is constantly moistened, this will negatively affect the splendor of flowering, but the greenery will grow violently. It is also very important to cut off flowers that have begun to fade in time. If you want to collect seeds, then leave only a few ovaries for this.
Before flowering, this plant is regularly fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizer, often once every 7 days. This crop is not fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers.
Reproduction of nasturtium
How to grow nasturtium from seeds is described above. Cuttings are also used for reproduction. For rooting cuttings, use well moistened sand or water.This method of propagation, as a rule, is used for terry varieties or for very rare ones, the seeds of which are difficult to buy. When propagated by cuttings, all varietal and specific characteristics of the mother plant are fully preserved.
Diseases and pests
This plant is very beautiful and incredibly useful. In addition, it repels whiteflies, cabbages, Colorado beetles, aphids and other pests.
However, nasturtium can still get sick. For example, it is affected by bacterial wilting. In the affected specimen, the lower leaf plates first weaken, and then the entire bush begins to fade. She can also get sick with gray rot, due to which dry specks of brown color form on the leaf plates. Also, on the surface of the foliage, you can sometimes see variegated mosaic stains or black or brown specks of rust. If symptoms of these diseases occur, the affected bushes must be dug up and destroyed. In this case, the remaining healthy flowers are sprayed with a special agent that can destroy the pathogens.
How to collect nasturtium seeds
If you want to feel like a breeder, then you will need to collect nasturtium seeds from your site. Seed ripening occurs at the same time that the flower wilts. Only the seeds of foreign nasturtium do not have time to ripen before frost, and this must be taken into account. Ripe seeds change their green color to whitish, they are easily separated from the peduncle and fall to the surface of the site. In this regard, it is not necessary to delay the collection of seeds, because they can crumble. For storage, the seeds are placed in cardboard boxes. The collected unripe seeds of foreign nasturtium should be ripened in room conditions.
Nasturtium after flowering
When flowering is over, the bushes should be watered less and less each time until they stop completely. In middle latitudes, as a rule, this plant is cultivated as an annual, therefore in autumn it should be treated as an annual. Or rather, clear the area of plant residues that must be destroyed. The site itself should be dug up. Don't forget to collect the seeds first if needed.
Types and varieties of nasturtium with photos and names
Naturally growing nasturtium is a perennial plant. However, in mid-latitude gardens, this flower can only be grown as an annual, because it cannot survive the winter outdoors. The most popular among gardeners are the cultivated types of nasturtium, which will be described below.
Foreign nasturtium, or Canary
The homeland of this liana is South America. The length of greenish shoots can reach 3.5 m, while they braid trellises and arbors relatively quickly. Flowering begins in mid-summer and ends with the onset of frost. The small flowers are deep yellow in color with corrugated petals and green spurs. Small leaf plates can be five- or seven-part. In middle latitudes, the seeds do not have time to ripen.
Large nasturtium
Fragile bare shoots are strongly branched, they can have a length of about 2.5 m. There are not creeping, but erect varieties, in this case, the height of the shoots can reach 0.7 m. Abundant flowering begins in June, and ends with the onset of frost in the fall. This species reproduces well by self-seeding. The seeds remain viable for 4 years. Large, asymmetrical leaf plates are rounded and thyroid. Their front surface is greenish, and the seamy side is gray. They have long petioles, and the leaves reach 80 mm in diameter. This species has many varieties, among which there are compact bush forms, for example:
- King Theodore - the color of the flowers is deep red;
- Peach Melba - there are red spots in the center of cream flowers;
- Salmon Baby - semi-double flowers have a salmon color;
- ladybug - there are burgundy specks in the middle of the apricot flower.
Cultural nasturtium
This species combined hybrids of nasturtium large and shield-bearing nasturtium. Densely leafy shoots. The thyroid leaf plates are purple or green in color. In this type, the varieties differ in height and shape:
- compact varieties up to half a meter high;
- creeping varieties, the stems of which reach 4 meters in length;
- dwarf varieties, the height of which does not exceed 15–20 centimeters.
Varieties:
- Gleming Mahagani - the height of the bush is about 37 centimeters, red double flowers;
- Golden Globe - a spherical bush in height reaches 0.25 m, and in width - 0.4 m, leaf plates are round greenish, double large (about 65 mm in diameter) flowers are painted in yellow-golden color;
- Moonlight - the length of the shoots of this climbing plant is about 2 m, the color of the flowers is yellowish.
Small nasturtium
Thin, branched, grooved shoots are about 0.35 m high. Small thyroid leaf plates are round in shape, petioles are thin and very long. Small yellow flowers reach 30 mm in diameter, there are dark spots on the surface, 3 upper petals are velvety and have a pointed edge, curved spurs have a cylindrical shape. Blooming is observed in June – October. Varieties:
- Cherry rose - the height of the bush is about 0.3 m, the double flowers have a deep red color;
- Black Velvet - the bush reaches 0.3 m in height, the color of simple flowers is maroon almost black, they reach 60 mm in diameter, and this variety is sometimes called "Black Lady".
Shield-bearing nasturtium
This species is represented by creeping dwarf shrubs. Fragile juicy stems are colored dark green, they reach 4 meters in length. The thyroid leaf plates are dark green in color. The color of the flowers is intense dark red. Flowering is observed in June-October, the seeds have time to ripen. The most popular variety is Lucifer: the height of erect bushes is about 0.25 m, the color of the stems is greenish, the large leaf plates of a dark green color have a dark red tint. Simple orange-red flowers reach 60 mm in diameter.
Also, ornamental types of nasturtium are azure, ciliate, multi-leaved, beautiful, tricolor, but they are rarely grown in middle latitudes.
Useful properties of nasturtium
The very beautiful flower of nasturtium has medicinal properties and can also be eaten. Flowers and foliage of young plants are added to soups, salads and sandwiches, and they are also used to decorate various dishes. Pickled fruits of such a flower taste similar to expensive capers. If the seeds are well dried and ground, they will create a creamy seasoning that can be used in place of black pepper. By the way, this seasoning was widely used during the Second World War. You can eat all parts of this culture, but not the roots.
The fact that nasturtium has healing properties has been known for a long time. It is used to stimulate hair growth, in the treatment of skin rashes, as well as vitamin deficiency, anemia and kidney stones. It is also recommended to use nasturtium for scurvy, because its vitamin C content is quite high (10 times more than in lettuce foliage).
In addition, this plant contains substances with antibacterial properties, namely: provitamin A and phytoncides. Dishes that are prepared using this plant are included in a therapeutic diet for atherosclerosis, as well as metabolic disorders in people in old age. The rhizomes contain substances that can reduce the level of testosterone in the blood.
Scientists have proven that this plant has the following healing properties: laxative, diuretic, antibiotic, uroseptic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, antiseptic, antiscorbutic and expectorant.
In case of an overdose of nasturtium, irritation of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract is observed.
