If you are looking for a plant with super quick germination and growth that adds texture to garden borders, flower arrangements, and the dinner plate, look no further.
I have been growing ornamental cress for a couple of years now, and it never disappoints.
It’s a non-toxic delight for kids, budding gardeners, florists, and chefs alike. Can’t wait to try it? Let’s dig into the world of growing ornamental cress.
What Is Persian Cress?
Ornamental, garden, or Persian cress (Lepidium sativum) is a brassica species in the Brassicaceae family and is related to mustard, cabbage, and horseradish.
Persian watercress is an herbaceous plant native to Iran and parts of western Asia. It’s often referred to as Persian rockcress or Persian cress.
It’s an annual that has rounded, bright green leaves and tiny white blooms followed by showy silver seedpods. Like common watercress, it tastes peppery. It can be sown for repeated harvests throughout the year.
While Persian cress is edible, it’s primarily grown for its attractive foliage. It is known for its delicate, lacy leaves, quick growth, and multiple uses. Use them in garden borders, window boxes, raised gardens, pots, vegetable gardens, and food forests.
It’s extremely popular as a floral filler, with stems that can grow up to 36 inches tall.
You can also eat ornamental cress. The seed, stems, pods, and foliage can be added to hot and cold dishes or just snack away while tending to your garden.
Persian cress is low calorie, contains Vitamins A, C, and K, and Omega 3, has anti-inflammatory properties, and is a good source of folate, calcium, and iron.
If you are on blood thinners, pregnant, or breastfeeding, it’s best to leave ornamental cress off your menu. You can still grow it as an ornamental, of course.
Persian cress produces small flowers that are attractive to pollinators, such as bees and butterflies. This helps to support the local ecosystem and biodiversity in the garden.
Ornamental cress can be a focus for fall and winter gardens when not much else is alive. Some can be grown all year round in warmer areas.
Similar Species
Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense), also known as pepperwort or stone cress, is a hardy annual that will self-seed.
It’s an environmentally friendly crop due to its rapid growth, nutritional value, and minimal water requirements. As it can grow quickly, it can be succession planted for numerous harvests in one season.
It’s a good filler for flower arrangements and grows between 36-40 inches tall.
Arabis cress (Aubrieta deltoidea) is a low-lying form of Persian cress, so it is perfect for small, difficult areas and weed suppression. It has pink, purple, or white flowers. It’s a semi-evergreen groundcover in Zones 4-7.
Virginia pepperweed (Lepidium virginicum) reaches heights suitable for flower arrangements and is beautiful when dried. On average, you get 6-12 branches of foliage per plant. Plant maturity takes 60 days, and it is easy to grow in Zones 5 and up.
How To Plant Ornamental Cress
Direct seed sowing is the best method to get it started with growing Persian cress. It germinates rapidly and readily.
Whether you intend to grow them inside in trays as microgreens, in containers, or in beds, just sprinkle the seed directly onto the soil. Lightly cover with a good-quality seed-raising mix and water well.
The seeds should be exposed to a few hours of light and planted when temperatures are cool because they don’t germinate well in heat. Keep the soil moist, and you should see germination in 2-5 days if the conditions are right.
Thin the plants once they are an inch or two tall to reduce the competition for light exposure and to encourage development. Plants should be about four inches apart.
When growing outdoors, these plants require free draining locations and full sun.
Stagger sowing every two weeks and you’ll be treated to a continual harvest.
Caring for Persian Cress
The plants need full sun to grow tall and produce well. As they grow, keep the soil moist but not wet.
As they start to get tall, you might want to provide some support. You can use plant supports like peony cages or string netting to feed the stems through.
You should also protect the stems during heavy wind or you might find your plants blown over.
If they become crowded, thin them out further. You can eat the stems that you thin out, as the younger leaves taste better than the mature ones.
How to Harvest
Always use clean tools and equipment when harvesting leaves, branches, or seeds of this plant. Although they’re low maintenance, they can suffer from pests and diseases, so it’s good practice to keep gardening hygiene in mind.
If you want to use persian cress for culinary purposes, harvest it when the leaves are young and tender. You can add it to dishes at any stage, such as a garnish, side salad, or in soups or smoothies for a nutritional boost.
For flower arrangements, wait until the seed pods mature on the stems. Blooms do not last long, but the seed pods stick around and add beautiful texture and interest.
You can take cuttings anywhere from six inches in height and up. Don’t take all of the branches at once because as long as the plant still has branches, it may produce more if the conditions allow.
For drying, cut as you would for flower arrangements but hang upside down in a location away from direct sunlight and where air can flow through the hanging plant pieces. It will take up to two weeks to fully dry. Check hanging plants regularly for mold.
Once fully dry, pick off leaves and store them in an airtight container for use in food preparation as a dried herb. Collect the seed pods to sow later or use in a flower display, wreath, or box up until ready to use.
Pick or cut early morning for crisp leaves, making sure to select outer leaves to allow further growth and harvests.
Companion Planting
Persian cress works well with lots of other plants so long as you don’t crowd them or shade them too much. Here are some companion planting options for ornamental cresses.
- Kale
- Broccoli
- Lettuce
- Sunflowers
- Pole beans
- Phlox
- Berry bushes
- Onions
- Beets
- Basil
- Cilantro
- Lavender
- Stocks
- Snapdragons
Pests and Diseases
Ornamental cress can be susceptible to certain pests, which may negatively impact their growth and appearance.
Aphids are a common problem. Visit our guide to learn how to identify and control them.
Flea beetles will chew holes in the leaves of your plant until they start to look like lace. They can also transmit disease. Our guide will help you control them.
Cabbage worms feed on all brassicas, devouring the foliage. Learn all about them in our guide.
Slugs and snails will feed on young plants and might even devour an entire seedling. Cutworms can also cut seedlings off at the base.
When it comes to disease, downy mildew is common in brassicas. Learn how to identify and deal with this disease in our guide.
Though the name is similar, powdery mildew is another common problem but it’s not related to downy mildew. Learn about powdery mildew in our guide.
Young plants are also susceptible to damping off, and all life stages may experience root rot when overwatered.
Finally, watch for bacterial leaf spot. There is no cure and it can ruin the appearance of your ornamental cress.
Make sure to provide good air circulation, and don’t water on the leaves, but rather, on the soil instead. Always clean your tools between use and keep pests and weeds out of the garden. This will help keep most diseases away.
